Author/Palusa/Others - \r\n\t\t\t\t\t
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Lethias - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/lethias
Storm - \r\n\t\t\t\t\t
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Maaravi - \r\n\t\t\t\t\t
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Tritus - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/laestir
Tzerin - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/tzerin
Vel'Gahrus - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/parapanora
This is just the teaser for the full story. As of right now I'm already up to 25,000 words and counting and the total will be anywhere from 35,000-40,000 words. (It's gonna be a long one).
I WILL be posting the full thing free of charge on SoFurry (And FA via the proper means with a little icon instead of having it in bulk here), both of which I'll be linking. But for now, this is the prologue and introductory chapters of the three main characters.
So far I've gotten to Chapter Seven, will likely be ten chapters long.
In this story, the village of Joraken plays host to ritual combat by decree of the gods themselves, their voice heard through the prophet Palusa. The purpose of this ritual combat is to find the most apt warrior to be bestowed with godlike strength in order to protect the land from an encroaching apocalypse!
Problem is, not even the prophet understands the nature of the oncoming apocalypse and doesn't even know how to find the one most worthy to be gifted that strength! The ritual combat is just the latest in a long line of attempts to prove worthiness to the gods, all of which have failed.
That doesn't stop Storm Gryphon and Lethias Kerraie as well as ten others from pledging themselves to the ritual combat to test their mettle and see if they are worthy!
(This is the prologue, chapter 1, and chapter 2 of an ongoing story. Stay tunes for the rest or visit Patreon to see the finished version first! https://www.patreon.com/DalonianGods for more info!)
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\tGrowth in the Jungle
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\tPrologue: The Prophetic Temple
\tSome time around the beginning of recorded history the small Arrenthian village of Joraken was given one of the greatest gifts that could be given to a people: they were blessed with the foresight of a prophet by the Gods themselves! Of course, since this was a new development and not something that was known to happen, the tribal residents of the village, which was situated deep within the Arrenthen Basin and far away from other societies, had no idea how to process this information and did not take kindly to being granted knowledge of a prophecy.
\tThe prophet's name was Palusa Yonge Cezebres and she was bipedal pegasus filly born in the image of Lady Ceylon herself – the gryphoness goddess of transformation – with black stripes and spots on a white base accented by golden brown around her neck. She was tall and strong, possessed a rather impressive wingspan, and an intellect far beyond her years, all traits of the Goddess she represented. As a filly she was mostly deigned upon for her colouration – which was seen as a good omen upon the village – and it wasn't until she blossomed into a young mare that she heard voices.
\tHer physical and mental maturation seemed to trigger a link to the deities of Dalon and she began to hear their words within her. They guided her, they advised her, and they blessed her with knowledge and foresight that she couldn't possibly have possessed without divine intervention. At first this was seen by her as a reason to be faithful to the religion of her people, a simple blessing and nothing more. It wasn't until she started getting very specific instructions and premonitions that she started to understand just how important she was.
\tPalusa began predicting deaths, births, the weather, and such peculiarly specific events with such accuracy and frequency that when one of her prophecies demanded that her people build a temple to honour the gods, few questioned her instructions. Sure, there was dissent among the council of elders about the veracity of her claims but enough people believed in her that the decision was easy.
\tThe elders of the village immediately commanded the tribe to focus all of their efforts on building the temple to Palusa's very specific instructions. The major feature of the temple was a pair of massive stone thrones built into the side with a ceremonial torch-fire on the ground between them that was to be lit and burning at all times – even when it was raining – or the temple wouldn't 'work'.
\tSuch a declaration without any explanation behind it was certainly peculiar. Palusa confessed she didn't know what she meant when she said the temple would 'work', for she had no idea what the temple was meant for or why they were building it, only that the Gods demanded it and said that the tribe would be well rewarded for their fealty.
\tOnce again, this sowed discourse among the council of elders who were increasingly skeptical of Palusa's intentions and sincerity in the conveyance of her prophecies. Without reason or explanation, it was hard to follow her lead or trust her judgement. They continued the construction of the temple regardless, carving out an entire hectare of land for its base and erecting its entirety over the course of years. It wasn't until Palusa endured a prophecy in front of the completed temple that her tribe fully trusted her and put aside their doubt.
\tMere days after the completion of the temple in its entirety – sans the eternal flame meant to be lit upon the torch-fire – Palusa suddenly passed away. Her aura left her body, ascending to the heavens as she slept peacefully after having left a note requesting her body be burned within the torch-fire upon its ignition, a final show of faith to the Gods and her final sacrifice for the erected temple.
\tWhile this at first made her tribe question her authenticity once more – it was perceived by the council of elders as an escape to avoid judgement if they discovered her to be a fraud – her family and loyal followers still fulfilled her final request by wrapping her in linen and erecting a spire of rockwood around her within the ceremonial torch-fire.
\tIn order to ignite the heat-resistant rockwood, a combination of pure liquid ademane – the fluid within all creatures responsible for granting magical abilities and dragon flame – and fire-enchanted ademane crystals needed to be used in conjunction to reach the temperatures needed to burn it, to breach its resistance and turn the wood to ember.
\tHer followers and the council of elders all watched as her body lit up in flames only to bear witness to one of the most spectacular things ever seen in Joraken. Her body, engulfed in flames, rose from the rockwood ash while still fully in tact! She hovered over the torch-fire with every feather on her outstretched wings represented by a lick of flame, her mane a torch upon her head and neck, and her nude body swirled with a firestorm emulating the linen she was burned inside. Her eyes were glowing orange and red, akin to the ember she'd emerged from.
\tAnd there, as she hovered above her people, each part of her body represented by flame while her followers bowed to her reanimated body, she spoke with the depth and gravitas of a god. She told her people that they had done well and that this was only the beginning of their journey. She explained that the purpose of the temple was to protect them from an oncoming apocalypse and that the thrones were there to test the strength and worthiness of potential protectors. The flame – the very one that has resurrected her – was the source of the power and the strength that would be gifted to two individuals if and when they proved their worthiness.
\tShe didn't explain what the coming apocalypse would entail, when it would happen, what was meant by offering strength to those worthy, or how the tribe was meant to verify worthiness to the temple's judgement. All they knew and all she conveyed was that the temple's existence was to bestow strength to two worthy individuals to protect the region from an oncoming threat in the ill-defined future. It was all very vague while also being shockingly straightforward.
\tAfter she spoke and explained the prophecy as it was given to her, she fell forward and onto her knees before the torch-fire, the flames evaporating from her body and leaving her exposed but pristine in condition. She was reborn of the flame, alive and well once again but speaking in her normal voice once more. She remembered everything and said she was spoken to by the Gods soon after her passing the night before, and that while she saw flashes of what was to come she couldn't make sense of most of it and thus chose to keep it to herself for fear of mistranslation in her subjects.
\tEven back then, at the dawn of history, Palusa knew how violent people could be when misinterpreting spiritual guidance bestowed upon them.
\tThe torch-fire set between the thrones remained alight through the day and through the night. No wind or rain or cold or storm could douse its flame, for as long as it was fed a steady diet of rockwood and fire-enchanted gems, it would burn forever.
\tSoon thereafter, when things returned to normal in Joraken, the council of elders sought the advice of Palusa and her followers to find a way to determine who was worthy of the gift of power bestowed upon them by the gods through the temple's twin thrones.
\tAt first, it was assumed that the temple was to give strength to those who already had it. They concocted tournaments to find who was the best fighter in their village, allowing each winner and participant to sit upon the three-story-tall thrones, but nothing happened. The elders then suggested that perhaps physical strength and skill was less important than knowledge – since the thrones were said to give power to those who were deserving – so they sought to find the smartest in the village. When that failed and nothing happened when their smartest sat upon the throne, they had to get creative.
\tThey even went door-to-door, giving every person of every race, age, and gender a chance to sit in the throne to see if they were just missing something, but nothing came of it.
\tOver more than a year, Joraken struggled to discover what it was that made a person worthy to sit upon the temple thrones and be granted the power of the gods. After Palusa's death, rebirth, and flame-driven prophecy delivered from the torch-fire's embers, all doubt within the village had been completely wiped and not a single person questioned her authenticity, but more than a year passed with no further elaboration or update on what they were told.
\tThey were completely left in the dark, with a massive temple with two thrones built into the side of it and an eternal flame burning upon a rockwood torch-fire. The temple got so little use that vines and mosses quickly started growing up the side of it, weaving their roots into its brick as the jungle around them sought to reclaim its space. Sure, Palusa's followers did what they could to maintain the temple by keeping its golden-yellow colouration, but the natural green of the surrounding jungle proved too much to stave off. It was almost a lost cause, even in the eyes of the most devout.
\tHowever, it was this futility that inspired Palusa to consider looking beyond the borders of her village to see if perhaps the ones worthy would be out there, perhaps in the mountains or on the coast or beyond the Arrenthen basin itself. They were a mostly-isolated people, a culture made of saurossins and jysar and errov and cien and oaira all in one place, but that didn't mean they were ignorant of the outside world. They needed to expand their search, so they did.
\tMore than a year after completing the temple and witnessing an actual death and rebirth with phoenix imagery coupled with a very obvious prophecy given by the Gods themselves, the tribal leaders of Joraken – including Palusa, her disciples, and the council of elders – decided to send scouts to the far ends of the world to fulfill said prophecy.
\tAnd that is where we meet Chief Storm Gryphon and Lethias Kerraie.
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\tChapter 01: Lethias – The Dragon Protector
\tSouth of the Arrenthen Basin, in the foothills of the easternmost branch of the tri-peak mountains, lay a small village for all saurossin kind called MagFinVille. This small settlement spread from the cliffs to the valleys to the fields but housed only a few thousand in total from the tiny wingless kobolds and primal saurians all the way up to the pure-blood dragons with wings and four limbs.
\tWithin that village lived a red bipedal dragon with yellow belly scales and blue stripes over each of his shoulders named Lethias Kerraie. This dragon – who was not as big as the quadruped elder dragons but still larger than the non-dragon saurossins without wings – was an apt warrior and scholar who had thus far dedicated his life to making his home town a better place by acting as a healer by the use of his talented hands as well as defender of the territory that he called his own.
\tAll in all, he was a drake who cared about his people, even if it meant sacrificing himself. He always hoped for any dire situation to not devolve into a scenario wherein he had to sacrifice himself – he knew and understood he did a much better job protecting and healing when alive than if he died – and he was fortunate to have been born in a time relatively devoid of conflict.
\tWhen he was still a hatchling, his village had served as an important outpost in the Untherian-Arrenthen war, where the dragons and canines of his realm fought for dominance with the errov and oairans of Arrenthen over the mountains that divided their nations. He saw and heard only glimpses of this war, for his people were able to keep him sheltered from the worst of the combat by hiding their young deep in the caves of the mountain, but that didn't mean he was completely ignorant of the war.
\tOne time, at less than a dozen years old and at the tail-end of the war, he snuck out of his cave to see what was happening on the plains below and bore witness to the final, bloodiest battle in the war. He could do nothing as he watched those he knew and loved die on the battlefield. Despite not yet being an adult, he was ready to leap from the outcropping and join the fight until he was corralled back into his home by his friends. That feeling of helplessness stayed with him, and from that day forth he vowed to never stand idly by while others were put in danger.
\tThat battle was the assault that served as the final warning to both nations that such an ongoing conflict could not continue if either nation was to prosper in the future. This was great news for Lethias, for he was on the cusp of adulthood and may very well have been drafted if the war went on any longer, but it did mean that his vow lost some of its meaning. Still, he dedicated himself to this pledge and refused to ignore it for the rest of his life. He would be prepared, no matter the cost.
\tThis happened mere days before Palusa was born, making Lethias about a decade older than her. Subsequently, Lethias found himself honing his skills while she was still growing, preparing himself for war in the event his claws were needed up until the day she shared her first prophecy. Both of them lived very unique lives concurrently on opposite ends of the world and in vastly different environments, but that didn't mean Lethias was ignorant of the goings-on in Joraken.
\tWhile the dragon lived beyond the edge of the Arrenthen Basin, he was a well-read drake who kept his mind sharp and his knowledge of the world around him up-to-date. He heard about the prophecies in Joraken, he heard about the oracle Palusa, and he was aware of the erection of the temple. His heart told him this was good, that the Gods making themselves known and having a tangible effect on the world may bring peoples together by unifying them, but his mind also knew that people would fight over anything and this was no exception.
\tIn the year since Palusa's death and rebirth in the flame of the torch-fire, Lethias had spent most of his life refining his abilities to prepare in case the people of the jungle sought to attack. He hoped that day would never come, but after being unable to protect his people at the tail end of the war he had pledged to never feel the pain of helplessness again.
\tReality, however, had an odd way of playing with Lethias's mind and body. He never expected to be linked to the people of Joraken – even if they were his neighbours to the north – especially not in the way he ended up doing so. One day, when he was training upon that same rocky outcropping that overlooked the village and plains below, the same one wherein he had once pledged his life to protect all dragon kind, he was met by two peculiar outsiders that he'd never seen before.
\tThe first was a tall blue-scaled dragon, almost as tall as Lethias. He had wings – like most biped dragons – and wore a thin armour-plated chest piece. With him was a smaller, wingless dragon – one that resembled a kobold or lizard more than a dragon – who appeared to be a scholar of some sort since he was wearing glasses and his garb was reminiscent of a teacher as opposed to a warrior.
\tThese two saurossins were not of Lethias's village as far as he knew, but their scales made them endearing by default. Lethias was by no means prejudiced but he did warm quicker to fellow scaled folks and saurossins, especially dragon-types.
\tHe was on the rocky outcropping practicing his physical magic when they arrived, flying in from above with the smaller, purple dragon riding upon the back of the larger, blue-scaled dragon.
\tPhysical magic is exactly what it sounds like: remote manipulation of matter via magical means. While elemental magic controlled energies and life magic could restore and heal others, physical magic allowed a person to influence anything they wanted from afar. For the most part this manifested in the form of powerful pushes or pulls, summoning objects to one's claw or manipulating the momentum of an object in motion. But Lethias had learned a way to refine this magic and effectively create invisible items by simply concentrating and treating matter with more precision, as if they were being affected by the presence of something that wasn't there.
\tTo his eyes, these objects were blue. To others, they saw only the effect they had on the world.
\tThe dragon was focusing his mind on conjuring magical blades sharp enough to cut grass when his eye caught the shadow of the dragons hovering down towards him. The blue one's wingspan blocked out the sun for a split second before he landed on the ground on the plateau across from Lethias, his presence urging the local to turn off his magic and allow his conjured weapon to dissipate into nothing. His guard was up but he was still diplomatic.
\tLethias was a cordial dragon, so he politely bowed to the guests as they landed between him and the edge of the cliff, the purple one hopping off the blue one and adjusting his glasses as he did so. Their presence on the cliff-top was a little unnerving since it was so far away from the rest of the village and the leaders were deep within the mountain caves. Still, he introduced himself. “I do not recognize you as part of our village but you are dragons so I cordially extend a talon to you both. Welcome. I am Lethias of Untheria; who might you be? ” He remained defensive, many meters away while still extending a greeting; this established him as the sort of person they could trust.
\tThe smaller, purple dragon stepped forward and offered to shake Lethias's hand but was not met in the middle. While this was disconcerting, he understood and proceeded regardless. “My name is Vel'Gahrus and this here is Tritus Melendre. We represent the disciples of Palusa of Joraken.” As he spoke, Tritus also offered to take Lethias's hand and shake it as well, acting equally polite towards the local dragon while Vel explained. Lethias still didn't accept the hand shake, but Tritus wasn't offended.
\tLethias's eyes narrowed a bit as he heard who they were here on behalf of. He knew that name, he had heard of Palusa and her disciples, but had no idea why they would be here instead of remaining at home to tend to their prophet. Evidently they caught onto his piqued curiosity because Tritus stepped forward with a smile to address it, hand outstretched to make another attempt at shaking talons.
\t“I see you've heard of us.” Tritus said with a broad smile. “Hopefully only good things.”
\t“Neutral things. Neither good nor bad.” Lethias admitted as he took Tritus's hand. He then followed it up by accepting a shake from Vel as well before continuing. “I've heard of the prophecies she's conveyed but I always assumed them to be dubious at best. Not sure I believe in such things and most of what makes it here sounds more like rumours and gossip than truth. However, you're here now and you appear to be on a mission of some sort so I assume you have faith.”
\tVel'Gahrus nodded. “We do, yes. Both of us were there when she was reborn and channeled the voice of the gods to tell us of an encroaching danger.”
\tLethias stepped back. “There's always encroaching danger in this world. What makes this declaration so much more poignant than some fool screaming nonsense by the river?”
\tBoth Tritus and Vel smirked, casually glancing at one another before Tritus spoke. “She died, and her first words upon being resurrected were the prophecy of the temple.” He said simply, as if he'd been reciting that and expected that to be enough.
\tBut Lethias was not convinced. “Dead? People don't come back from the dead.”
\t“Exactly.” Vel interjected.
\t“Please allow me to finish.” Lethias countered. “I've dedicated much of my life to healing and protecting others. I'm not a mage of life magic and I can't heal people in that way, but I've worked with many who are and I've seen my fair share of people who were simply unconscious or sick mistaken for dead. There's a vast world of difference between dead and dying; are you sure this prophet of yours wasn't simply unwell?”
\tWithout a moment of hesitation, Tritus nodded and responded. “Entirely certain, sir drake.”
\tVel added, “We expect you to be critical of our tale. You're right, people don't come back from the dead, but she did. Her life force had been completely drained, she had no pulse, and her flesh was pale and cold to the touch when she was found in her abode. She left a note next to her body as if she knew she was going to die – peacefully, in her sleep, with no sickness to speak of, I might add – with instructions to use her flesh as kindling for the torch-fire of the great temple.”
\t“I'm sure you understand how silly this sounds, right?” Lethias joked, perplexed and deeply curious about the devout nature of these two. They spoke of such outlandish things that Lethias could hardly take them seriously but they did so with such conviction that he nearly believed them.
\tWith a solemn nod, Vel agreed. “We are entirely certain of how strange this sounds to someone who didn't experience what we did. Before her rising from the temple pyre, people doubted. Our tribe, our village, we were losing faith in her. She had us constructing this temple that took many seasons to erect with no end in sight and no known goal. All seemed lost, but then every she died. She gave her life to the cause only to be brought back by the Gods themselves before our very eyes. Now, Lethias, there isn't a person within our tribe who doesn't believe wholeheartedly in her words, her prophecies.”
\tHow strangely compelling this was to a drake who believed only in the strength of himself and his fellow dragons. His whole life, he knew of the gods and what influence they had on the minds of those around him, but he never truly believed them to be real. Magic was real, but the feats spoken of in the burned texts sounded more like tall tales and fantastical whimsy than historical documents. He had been a skeptic most of his life, a belief that was amplified on the day he saw his family and friends dying on the battlefield without the ability to help them.
\tHe knew in his heart that no Gods would allow such a thing to happen to their followers.
\tHowever, despite a life of skepticism, he couldn't help but be compelled by their conviction. For that reason, he found himself probing a bit deeper rather than dismissing them outright.
\t“So if your prophet is so universally revered, what are you doing here? More importantly, why are you in this exact spot on my training ground instead of in the village?” He pointed to the grass on which they stood before motioning to the fields and the village that spread across it in the foothills.
\tTritus turned and gazed out upon the saurossins going about their daily lives, each of them a tiny speck moving between the buildings in the village below. He rubbed his chin and squatted down before hanging his legs over the side of the cliff with the wind blowing in his face. It was all quite dramatic, but it served its purpose by drawing the attention of Lethias and getting Vel excited. “We're here to finally find someone worthy of the power bestowed upon them by the Gods.” He let that sink in before turning to Lethias, waiting for a response.
\tLethias leaned forward and narrowed his gaze. “And? That sounds like half a thought, I'd need for you to fill me in on the other half before I can make an educated assessment.”
\t“I might have to back up a bit to tell more of the story.” Tritus huffed as he got back to his feet, effectively nullifying the contemplative effect of gazing out over the cliff.
\tVel stepped in to fill in the blanks. “Prophet Palusa tells us that there is an encroaching danger that is to befall the land. The temple was built to somehow siphon the power of the gods into an individual for the purpose of protecting us from that apocalypse. We don't know how it works but we do know that it's our job to find those that the Gods themselves would deem worthy of their power.”
\t“And you think I'm worthy of such power?” Lethias suggested. The idea made him swell with pride even if he was the one to jump to that conclusion.
\t“Maybe? We're not sure.” Tritus admitted. “We did everything we could within Joraken to find the smartest, the noblest, and the strongest within our borders and nothing happened. More than a year later, we've decided that maybe we need to open up to outsiders. We've sent messengers to the far corners of the region to invite any warriors, scholars, or anything in between to test their mettle at the temple.” He turned to Vel and smiled, teeth bared in a nervous grin.
\tPicking up where Tritus left off, Vel turned to Lethias. “We saw you practicing your physical magic and thought maybe such a skill set could be worthwhile. We'd love to extend a talon to you – and anyone else from your village you think might be worthy – to meet us in Joraken a month from now. We're going to be opening the temple for any and all who wish to sit upon the throne.”
\tLethias rubbed his chin, trying his best to absorb everything he was told while not letting his excitement and eagerness show too much. This sounded exactly like something he always wanted – to be acknowledged for the goodness in his heart and to acquire the strength needed to ensure he could forever and always protect his people and the land. This was his wish come true and nothing would make him happier than earning that spot even if he felt uncomfortable admitting so.
\tHowever, Vel was far more perceptive than Lethias could have expected based on his nonchalant, ever-gazing look. “You want power for all the right reasons, don't you?”
\t“Maybe.” Lethias admitted, raising a finger to protest but only finding himself at a loss for words. “I think so. I like to think everyone's desire for power comes from a good place, it's reality that perverts intent.” Even he was shocked at his own depth of philosophy.
\t“That's all we needed to hear.” Tritus said as he reached into a satchel that was hanging off his side. Inside it, he produced a scroll bound by wax. “If you're interested in testing yourself and seeing if you're truly ready to use your power for good, then this scroll will guide you to our village. Twenty-one days from now, we'll be doing the ceremony. It takes a day and a half by wing to fly there.”
\tBefore Lethias could respond to his offer, Vel'Gahrus jumped up onto his back and the two of them dove off the side of the cliff to glide down to the village below, presumably to offer a spot to other villagers that Lethias shared a home with.
\tLethias stepped up to the side of the cliff and looked down, keenly watching Tritus and Vel as they shrunk to the size of ants in the distance. This left him baffled, confounded, and curious to know more. It wasn't often he was lost for words, but he felt stunned as he stood tall upon his cliff while watching the dragons of Joraken land in town below him.
\tHe glanced at the scroll in his hand, not sure what he wanted to do with it in the immediate future. On one wing, he wanted more than anything else to be granted the strength needed to ensure that no dragon ever suffered when protected by him, but on the other wing he didn't feel comfortable leaving his people while he went on some wild chase for power that might not even exist. The last thing he wanted – literally the very last thing he would wish upon his people – was to have them vulnerable in his absence. In the end, he felt he really needed to think about it before making a decision.
\tHaving remained high above the cliff face overlooking the village, Lethias sat down in much the same pose that Tritus had stricken when trying to be dramatic, feet up on the edge of the cliff for balance with wings spread for balance.
\tHe had a lot to think about before opening the scroll.
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\tChapter 02: Storm – The Gryphon Chief
\tIn much the same way Lethias was accosted by messengers from Joraken, Storm ended up on the right side of Tzerin and Maaravi, two scouts from Joraken who weren't actually heading to Storm's village but stopped there nonetheless upon hearing about the gryphon chief's history.
\tNorth of Joraken near the edge of the jungle but still within its boundaries, Storm the gryphon served as personal aide to the elders, as an adviser and as a warrior. His village, named Enie, had no participation in the war that marred the past of Lethias's homeland. As they were a simple tribe buried deep within the Arrenthen Basin, they were quite well protected from the outside world and the only conflict they participated in was with the elements, with the need for food and water, and the occasional skirmish with neighbouring tribes.
\tSo of course, the most revered members of his tribe – which was comprised mostly of oairans, jysar, and errov (Avians, felines, and hooved folk, respectively) as well as any hybrids of those three – were the ones who could hunt or fight. Storm was capable of doing both.
\tIn the years leading up to the end of the war that ravaged the southern border of Arrenthen and right up to the birth and eventual prophecies of Palusa, Storm was honing his skills with the intent of one day becoming an elder, a chieftan. The ruler of his people.
\tFrom a young age the gryphon was adept at hunting, something he liked to show off by going after only the biggest and most dangerous of prey. Sure, his first attempts were by no means successful, but unlike most who struggle and go for easier marks for a sure meal, Storm learned from every broken bone, every scar, every bruise, and every meal lost until he could keep up with the adults and track down even the most aggressive and dangerous of prey.
\tIn his early years he was a bit of a burden on the village healers, for he returned only with injuries on the days he failed to capture or kill his mark. Every other day he'd return limping or bloody from the ulokar or the great ayl-boars having beaten or gored him to near death. Creaures many times his size, creatures that even the best hunters tended to avoid due to the size of the herds or packs that travelled together. Trying to pick off any ulokar beast alone was tough enough, but they often travelled in packs to hunt throughout the jungle and the tropical meadows. Ayl-Beasts travelled in herds, dozens or sometimes even hundreds in a single place at any given time.
\tAnd yet, that's what Storm targeted when he went on hunts. More often than not he came back empty-handed and injured, but the few times he did manage to snag and drag home prey he ate like a king for weeks on end. A single ulokar corpse or ayl-boar could feed a family for a month, and since he was alone it meant he got to eat only the best until the food threatened to turn rancid. He'd then invite others to a feast to finish it off and whatever wasn't eaten was cooked into a stew he'd enjoy until his next successful hunt.
\tAs a teen, this brash behaviour continued, but unlike his childhood years he was far more effective and brought home meat more often than not. He still didn't succeed on every hunt, but he was bringing home food in such quantities and with such frequency that there was no way he could possibly have eaten it all. Much like his early years, he took to finding new and profitable ways to distribute the meat in ways that were beneficial to him.
\tHe started selling the corpses of marks he knew he couldn't finish himself. Others would pay him coin to feed their families, some would actively hire to hunt for them, and those who couldn't pay found other ways to exchange goods for services. Females and males of his tribe both offered their body to him in exchange for food, meaning he was gifted with sexual prowess at an early age that only served to get better as time went on and he got more experience.
\tAround this time, his hormones got the better of him and he started aggressively fighting the others in his village for dominance. He was so certain of his superiority that he knew he'd make a great warrior in addition to a hunter. Generally speaking, only adults were permitted to be warriors so he went out of his way to pick fights with members of the gryphon legion in order to not only prove that he was worthy but better than they were.
\tStorm lost a lot. A whole lot. He quickly came to realize that hunting and armed combat were vastly different disciplines, but one thing remained persistent within him and that was his dedication.
\tMuch like his early days hunting the roaming beasts of the Arrenthen Basin, Storm took every loss to heart. Every cut and bruise and broken bone was a lesson he could learn from. Unfortunately, unlike his prey, his opponents were learning as well so every loss of his also made his competition even stiffer than before which meant he needed to pick up the pace in order to make a difference.
\tYears of his teens passed before he started winning and by the time he was an adult he was regularly besting all but the greatest warriors in his tribe. This gave him something to work towards, a goal that could orient him to a place at the head of the gryphon legion. However, in the mean time he earned himself a role in the wings, waiting just in case something came up. He was technically the newest recruit and therefore he had the least authority of the legion.
\tSuch a hierarchy upset him, because he felt that rank should be based on skill, not age. He may have been the youngest but he'd already fought his way through the ranks enough that he could easily have stood or flown among the best, the elite. Regardless, he had to obey the rules if he wished to take his rightful place at the head of the gryphon legion.
\tThis was about the same time when Palusa spoke of her first prophecy.
\tIt wasn't until his tribe heard of her prophecies and the accuracy within them that he came to realize for certain just how much of an asset he was to his tribe. While his people were, for the most part, secluded from the outside world, he quickly learned the value of worldliness, and that if he was to change the way things were done it wasn't enough to be strong, skilled, and revered by others. He needed a spot among the elders.
\tOnce again, he had a real problem with the idea that age or longevity were valued more than skill. He provided the most to his people via the sheer volume of meat he brought in and the protection he offered to his people in the wing of the Gryphon Legion.
\tSo over the course of the following year or so, before the scouts from Joraken passed through his town, he lobbied and slept his way through those in power with the desire to be heard and listened to by the council of elders of his village. It just so happened to be coincidence that he was fighting for a spot on the head of the Gryphon Legion that he was seen by Tzerin and Maaravi.
\tTzerin, the furred dragon from Joraken, had insisted the two of them take a bit of a detour from their path in order to get some food, seek shelter for the night, and stock up before continuing north. They were headed to Fort Therreghol, the city on the border that was said to be full of the best warriors Tehgol and Arrenthen had to offer.
\tIt was, after all, a border city shared by both sides of the war that was comprised of massive forts as well as cities on either side of the wall that divided it down the middle.
\tMaaravi wasn't keen on this plan. He knew that, as scouts, they were expected to be quick with the delivery of their message and that the council of Elders of their tribe wouldn't be happy to hear they opted to waste time – a whole day, as far as Maaravi was concerned – to spend time in what was to them an enemy territory. Since Joraken and Enie were both smaller tribes located at different regions of the Arrenthen Basin, they often competed for the same resources, plucked fruit from the same trees, and hunted the same creatures.
\tYet despite that rivalry, Tzerin insisted they stop in Enie. Tzerin was a scholar within their tribe and claimed to know much more than most others so Maaravi didn't protest more than the bare minimum once the decision had been made. Tzerin was the one flying them, so what he decided was final regardless of what Maaravi – a biped, spot-free hyena – said in retort.
\tWhile the two messengers flew by overhead, Storm was standing tall in the middle of a battle-ring with a spear in one hand and a shield in the other. The ring was surrounded on all sides by dozens – nay, hundreds – of onlookers who had gathered to witness what we happening. The council of Elders were lined up on a series of thrones on the front of the council's chambers with a dozen members of the Gryphon Legion kneeling before them, facing Storm.
\tAfter nearly a year of manipulation and deeds meant to soften up those ahead of him in line to be chief, Storm was finally standing before the council with only one obstacle in his path. He was tasked with defeating two of the highest-ranked members of the legion in a two-on-one handicap battle. The idea was that if he wanted to bypass the years of service and the traditions that had been in place for decades, he needed to prove he was not only the best among the tribe but at least twice as good as anyone else.
\tHe had already proven himself a great mind by making sacrifices and being diplomatic with each and every influential person in town to get this far. Now all he needed was to show his skill in battle to be up to par with that.
\tThe two gryphons from the legion – the two largest and strongest as chosen by the council – stood tall and stepped forward, grabbing their own swords and shields in the process. All three fighters were given the same equipment to ensure that it was fair to all involved. The only problem was that, since Storm was so aggressive in his teenage years and his hormones dictated his growth, he was a full head and shoulders taller than anyone else so his spear and shield looked tiny and ineffective to him.
\tThis didn't bother him, though. He had a plan.
\tAs per the rules of ritual combat such as this, he needed to either force the others out of the ring or make them yield to him. It wasn't enough to push them out with magic, he needed to ensure their feet touched the ground outside of the ring; as gryphons they could fly and that meant that they were more than capable of darting around beyond the treetops to get a better fight out of each other. Wings did tire out in time, however, and doing that wouldn't ensure victory.
\tStorm bowed in respect to the others while General Thulius and his right hand drake, honoured Legionnaire Grayvour did the same. Once the niceties were over with, each of them outstretched their spears while Storm tossed his shield to the side, knowing it wouldn't do him any good given his size and the small amount of protection it offered. Instead, he held his spear with both hands, grinning as the two attacked in unison.
\tHe deflected stabs back and forth, ensuring neither blade touched his fur or feathers. Back and forth he juggled his opponents, poking them with the tip of the spear and kicking them away to show them both his skills. This was not his usual style; he had deliberately practiced a whole new fighting art to ensure that his opponents would be caught off guard. It seemed to be working, as neither of them knew what he was going to do next or how to counter his many attacks.
\tTzerin and Maaravi kept high in the sky, watching as the fight progressed. They banked to the side and looped around the village, watching from their vantage point as Storm worked against the others. While Tzerin had already decided he was going to land nearby and introduce himself, he knew that doing so during this combat – which he could tell was a ritual and not an actual fight – he may end up drawing the wrong kind of attention to himself. So he waited.
\tWithin the ring, Storm continued to jump and sweep and slash and block and kick his two opponents, adamant about never letting the two of them be prepared and stabilized at the same time. If he could bounce between them, throwing one off and handling the other while the first was getting back to his feet or regaining his balance, he had an opportunity to push them out of the ring or make them yield. At least, that was the plan.
\tAfter a series of brutal-looking kicks that knocked the wind out of the general, Storm spun around to slash across the Legionnaire's chest and kick with so much strength that he slid backwards and nearly reached the red line that served as the border. Storm, sensing a weakness, launched off the general's back with a flying kick that hit the Legionnaire in the chest, impact spewing sliced feathers and blood as his opponent was tossed through the air.
\tThis could have and should have been the end, for he was outside of the ring and was at an angle that there was no way he could fly. Yet somehow, he spun in midair and spread his wings, flapping and using the tip of his spear to vault off the ground, ensuring he wasn't disqualified for touching down with his paws while dropping his shield. This was a very feline move, which was impressive to Storm. That sort of midair twisting was not the sort of thing that was common.
\tHowever, this quick interaction served as a distraction, allowing the General to get to his feet and attack Storm from behind.
\tStorm was barely able to twist and deflect the spear from behind, redirecting it into the dirt beside him as he brought a knee up to crack against the general's cheek bones. This served to enrage the General, who quickly turned into a berserker by grabbing his spear and attacking indiscriminately in Storm's direction.
\tThe two danced around each other by clashing the blades at the tip of their spears and cracking each other with the wood of their pole arms. All the while, Storm had to keep his mind on the Legionnaire, who was now in the sky and could attack from any angle. Fortunately for Storm, this was almost exactly what he had expected and planned for prior to meeting the elders on this day.
\tWhile he and the general were fighting with all their combined strength, the impact of their blows and blocks resulting in shock waves moving the gravel beneath them, the Legionnaire made himself known in the skies above, diving straight for Storm with his spear extended ahead of himself.
\tWith a grin and a quick movement, Storm pulled himself in close to his grounded opponent, spun so that the General was in his aerial opponent's trajectory, then spun and stabbed in such a way that neither could move or halt the inevitable. As a result, Legionnaire Grayvour hit General Thulius with enough force to rend a cow in half, the two of them rolling and skidding across the gravel with rocks and feathers and blood splashing out in all directions.
\tIn the tangle of limbs and weapons, Grayvour managed to part with General Thulius, resulting in the General coming to a stop just outside the ring boundaries and thus disqualifying him. In this split second, with Grayvour teetering a claw's length away from the red line, Storm rushed forth and grabbed the Legionnaire by the neck, pressing his spear tip to his throat.
\t“Yield.” Was all Storm needed to say to get Grayvour to drop his weapon and fall to his knees.
\t“I Yield.” The Legionnaire responded as General Thulius got to his feet next to them.
\tBoth General Thulius and Legionnaire Grayvour took turns shaking talons with Storm, congratulating him on his well-earned victory. The Gryphon Legion may have been run by the elders and thus bound by their rules, but the members themselves admired skill when they saw it and rarely hesitated to honour those they respected.
\tHowever, just as the elders rose to commend Storm on his victory and recite the words that would swear him in as one of the heads of the Gryphon Legion, Storm turned his back to them and left the ring, uninterested in hearing what they had to say.
\tHe pushed his way through the crowd and motioned to two gryphon ladies on the way, suggesting they follow him back to his hut high in the trees overlooking the marketplace in the center of the village. This left the elders and the other members of the Gryphon Legion confused, unsure how to interpret his actions.
\tThis was, of course, exactly what he wanted. He needed them to know that they needed him, not the other way around. He needed them to think about what they saw, to ruminate on it before they would inevitably beg him to not only be a member of the head of the Legion, but their leader. He had earned it, he had proven his worth and he would settle for nothing less.
\tSoon after disappearing into his home – a multi-levelled house built of bamboo and stalks and leaves high in the trees – and settling into his nest with his gryphon ladies, he heard a knock upon his door. He expected it to be the elders or Legion messengers, so he happily invited them in, knowing full well they'd see him naked and ready to give his hens the passion only he could offer them. “Come in!”
\tThe door was opened by Tzerin and Maaravi, who stood on his balcony while they waited for a further invitation to come in since they had just revealed themselves to not be gryphons of his tribe.
\tStorm motioned for them to come in and to close the door. “What can I help you with?” He asked, cradling a gryphon hen under each of his arms, sheath swollen and leaking in anticipation of what he was to do to them. “You're not from the Legion; state your business.”
\tTzerin bowed and stepped forward, trying to be respectful. “We're from Joraken. A village to the south of here in the heart of Arrenthen. we-”
\t“I know where and what Joraken is. That's where the prophet Palusa was born. That doesn't answer my question, though. What can I hep you with?”
\tMaaravi chuckled and joined Tzerin. “If you know of Palusa, you may be aware that she has given us the gift of a prophecy that may affect any and all creatures in Arrenthen. She speaks of a dire threat, an apocalypse, that is encroaching. We built a temple as commanded by the Gods, one meant to somehow bestow the strength of the eternals upon a worthy, deserving warrior so that they may protect us. We were wondering if you would be that champion.”
\tBefore Storm could respond, Tzerin pitched in a bit more. “We don't know what the temple demands or how it will be granting the strength needed, nor do we know for sure what form this event will take form, but we do know that we have been sent to the far reaches of Arrenthen to find only the best and brightest warriors and scholars so that we may offer them a chance at what the Gods offer.”
\t“We were meant to head north, to the fort beyond the borders of the jungle, but after seeing you fight and hearing what the elders said about you upon your departure from the ritual combat ring, we can't imagine a better choice to bring back to our village and to submit as our champion.” Maaravi added, bowing and grinning as his tail wagged.
\tStorm had been silent, casually absorbing this information as they spoke. He was able to mentally piece together a combination of the things they said with the things he had heard about Palusa and her rebirth prior to their arrival. His initial attitude was to brush them off and to go about his day with his hens before inevitably ascending to a position as the head of the Gryphon Legion.
\tHowever, the added context of a temple that could bestow even more power upon him – a gryph who had already shown his skill in combat and diplomacy – was quite titillating to him. Evocative. If he was this strong already, he could only imagine how much power he'd have if he was granted even more! Sure, his goal always has been and always would be to protect his people through superior skills and by the noblest of hunts, but this was an opportunity to do more.
\tAt that exact moment, with a gryphon hen under each arm and both Maaravi and Tzerin before him, his aspirations grew three sizes. If things went well, he would not only be revered by his own people, but by those in the neighbouring tribes and beyond. Not only only would be be the strongest in his village, he'd be the strongest in all of Arrenthen!
\tWith that in mind, he nodded his approval. “I'd be happy to gain the power of your temple. That said, I am busy at the moment, so if you don't mind I'd love it if you stood by while I give these ladies the rutting they deserve.” He winked and pecked each of his hens on their respective cheek.
\tTzerin bowed and nodded. “Maaravi and I will be outside, waiting for you. If you need me, my name is Tzerin.” and with that, both of the messengers slipped out of Storm's hut and shut the door behind them, casually listening in as he and his hens celebrated in the most carnal of ways.
\tStorm had nothing to think about; his decision was made and he was certain that he and only he would be granted the power of the Gods. It only made sense, as he had already learned to harness the power of storms, hence his namesake. All that strength and he hardly had to use it!
=====--=--=====
\tChapter 03: The Prophecy of Joraken
\tImmediately following the meetings with both Storm and Lethias – among dozens of others around the Arrenthen Basin both within the jungle and beyond it – The Joraken disciples and some of their their chosen champions made their way back to the temple to see Palusa and their own elders. None arrived at the same time, for the actual ceremony wasn't for nearly a month, but there were some participants who were happy to arrive early.
\tIn fact, everyone arrived early, to various degrees. Storm finished with his hens and joined the disciples en route to Joraken that very evening and Lethias spent mere hours deliberating with himself the pros and cons of leaving before departing his settlement to visit the temple.
\tWhile Storm's haste was mostly borne of his impatience and desire to leave the elders of his village confused and questioning his loyalty, Lethias's quickness to decide to leave his home was a decision based on diplomacy. The dragon, ever the polite drake, wanted to establish a connection with the locals before diving headfirst into some ceremony that could potentially result in him gaining strength beyond his wildest dreams. He wanted to understand what he was committing to before officially submitting himself as an entrant.
\tEver since dispatching the various disciples around the Arrenthen Basin, Palusa remained at the temple, eagerly awaiting each of the chosen champions that would participate. She knew the ritual wouldn't be initiated for at least a month but she wanted to be one of the first things and the first faces those coming from abroad would see.
\tStorm was the first to arrive, as he had no prior engagements and he perpetually maintained a mindset where he had to be the first, the best, and the last in any given situation. His motivation propelled him to excel at most everything he did, be it hunting, loving, fighting, or learning; he wanted to be the best no matter what he did or where he went and in his mind the best way to excel was to get a head start. So that's what he did.
\tMere days after being dispatched, Tzerin and Maaravi's champion landed in Joraken.
\tNeither Tzerin nor Maaravi joined him back to Joraken, because they had actually been tasked with travelling farther north to the fort city to find a champion there and had continued their journey even after offering the spot to Storm. In their minds, they stood a better chance at finding a worthy warrior if they doubled up on their duties.
\tSo when Storm landed in the middle of Joraken in the shadow of the temple, he was greeted by more than a dozen warriors and disciples crowding around him, each pointing spears or staves at him.
\tHe knew he was in the right place, so he remained calm rather than whipping out his weapon and defeating them all in combat. He was certain he could have but he was alone in a foreign village, it was not smart to start a fight under those odds no matter how good one was with a blade.
\t“Is this how you treat all your guests?” He asked, hands up to show he meant no harm. With the dozen various warriors and disciples around him, each one a different race, he was hoping for some sort of answer. Preferably in the form of a welcome party. When none responded, he started to get a little worried that he may have to defend himself.
\tLuckily, Palusa heard the commotion and darted out from within the temple, shouting. “Put your weapons down!” She commanded the warriors and disciples. “This drake is not our enemy!”
\tStorm raised an eyebrow and flicked his ear, attention drawn to the pegasus mare. Her zebra patterns, short and dark mane, and the flowing linen dress she wore all caught his attention immediately due to his knowledge of the prophecy. He knew instantly that this was the Oracle Palusa, the prophet.
\tWhich was why he wanted to mess with her a bit, to test her. “Are you so certain I'm not an enemy? From what I recall, your messengers were never meant to make a stop in my village so it's not like you were expecting me. Were you?” He gave a knowing wink and a smirk as he slowly lowered his hands; the warriors around him did the same, sheathing weapons and lowering the magic in the staves.
\tPalusa walked around the eternal flame of the rockwood torch-fire to stand tall upon the plateau over him. Even with the half dozen steps separating her and him, she barely stood taller than he. He had to be a full head and shoulders taller than her. This didn't intimidate Palusa, however. Not only was she nonviolent, but she had confidence that, as an oracle, she'd be protected by the Gods.
\t“I don't know for certain that you are an ally, sir drake. I cannot know. I'm blessed with the sight of a seer but I'm not psychic. However, I know none but the most foolish would dare attack alone in the middle of a settlement full of warriors without backup.” She paused to rub her chin, snout peeling back in an equine grin before taking a few steps to get closer to him while motioning the guards of the temple to return to their posts around the temple. “I suppose you could be a distraction, but no.”
\tStorm kept his eyes on her, not captivated by her beauty but still lost in her gaze. “Why not?”
\t“Because I can tell just by looking at you that you have your wits about you and that you're not concerned for your safety whatsoever.” She snapped her fingers, summoning two of the disciples to her side. “Get the two of us something to eat. Meat. This drake looks to be a predator. We will be in the temple discussing matters.”
\tBoth of the disciples bowed and disappeared by darting past Storm to get some food. Much of the village was built within various clearings and pathways that formed a maze throughout the jungle, which meant it would be remarkably challenging to navigate if not for the temple that was so tall it could easily be seen from the farthest reaches of the settlement and beyond.
\t“My name is Palusa Yongue Cezebres and I run this temple, which I assume is the reason you are here. Tell me, sir drake, by what name do I call you and what is your purpose here?” She was cordial and polite while still being firm in her tone.
\tStorm stood tall, still locked in her gaze. “My name is Storm. Just Storm. No last name but some call be by me race to differentiate me from the power of storms I hold. I'm here to prove my value and gain untold power as per your prophecy, Palusa.” He explained. “Your messengers, your disciples, Tzerin and Maaravie told me of he coming ceremony and that I'd be welcome to participate.”
\t“And what is your hometown?” She quickly asked, almost interrupting him.
\t“Enie.” Storm answered, not missing a beat.
\tShe nickered and grinned as she stepped up closer. Now, only a few steps above him, she looked the gryphon up and down. “Enie. I didn't send any of my scouts to Enie. I was unaware Enie had folks like you living there.” She patted Storm on the chest with her knuckle to emphasize his girth. “Not that I'm complaining, all are welcome to participate.”
\tStorm took her hand and pulled her in close, putting them both on the same level so that she was a full head and shoulders shorter than him. This made the various warriors lining the court raise their weapons, ready to fight if not for Palusa's confidence.
\tShe pushed away from him and chuckled. “Don't overstep your bounds, Storm. I'm a prophet, not a harlot.” The mare then lifted her skirt so it wasn't touching the steps as she walked backwards up them; she didn't want to trip but wasn't prepared to expose herself, either. She then turned and started walking towards the entrance to the temple. “Come with me, we'll discuss your merits, your skills, and your desires inside. I would love to get to know you before the ritual combat begins.”
\t“That works for me.” Storm agreed, then followed her past the eternal flame of the torch-fire. As the two of them passed by the stairs that led up the side of the temple on either side of the entrance, Storm noticed that the walls appeared to be carved in the form of two massive thrones. He was able to piece a few things together but didn't want to presume anything; he was a guest and wanted to observe before making any assumptions.
\tInside, the temple was remarkably simple and straightforward. There were twelve altars strewn about a single, circular room with only two entrances – the one they came through and one out the back. The walls were carved with idols of each of the twelve gods, each one with their own matching altars for worship. Much of the inside was comprised of the same gold bricks that made up the outside only instead of encroaching vines and mosses, the green inside appeared to be made of woven jade.
\t“Beautiful.” Storm observed as he continued to follow Palusa to the middle of the room. “I noticed outside that the temple appears to be built like a pair of thrones for giants; is that symbolic?”
\t“Do you want the honest answer or the divine answer?” Palusa probed as she turned and sat beneath the idol meant to look like Ceylon, the gryphon goddess of transformation.
\tThis confused Storm. “I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that. I just want to know the answer to my question. I wasn't aware this was a matter of metaphor.”
\tPalusa wasted no time in elaborating. “Well, we don't actually know. We don't fully understand what any of this temple is meant to do. The gods themselves, they came to me in visions and told me what to do and how to do it, but not why; not until recently. Furthermore, we have no idea what the altars do, what the thrones do, what the eternal flame does, or the purpose of the torch-fire. I considered acting like I knew, as though the gods told me in great detail the purpose of every stone, of every feature of the temple. However, I don't know that and I lack the confidence to pull off such a lie.”
\t“You're telling me you convinced people to build a temple, that the temple itself was built, and that you have everyone in your village believing you but you outwardly admit you don't know what you're talking about? That's bold.” Storm casually joked. “But I like it. Your prophecies must have been rather potent to overcome that ignorance.”
\tSuch an accusation might have upset Palusa under different circumstances – she was being accused of foolishness by an outsider – but she remained stoic and polite, maintaining her dignity and poise. “You levy these assaults of your tongue against me and you hope to confound me, but in truth I agree with you. I find it odd that the gods have chosen to bless me with knowledge but not the understanding needed to go with it. They gave me visions but failed to supply me with insight. I don't like it, but my prophecies have been without error in years, so while your skepticism is healthy it is misguided. I assure you I'm not a false prophet.”
\tStorm continued to look around the inside of the temple, glancing at each of the twelve idols one at a time while deliberately avoiding eye contact with Palusa. Part of him was concerned she was using her eyes to get inside his mind despite assuring him she was no psychic. “I wasn't saying you were a false prophet, just that it's rather peculiar, all in all. Tell me, Palusa, what do you hope to get out of all of this. I'm here now, I'm curious why I've been invited, what your end goal is.”
\t“Did my disciples not explain the situation to you?” Palusa asked, voice tense and even a little bit concerned. “I told them to explain in detail what I hoped to accomplish he-”
\t“They did, I just want to hear it from you. Want to make sure you've got your story straight because much of this feels off. Fishy. Peculiar.” Storm interjected, finally turning to her to once again meet her gaze. He couldn't help but think she was beautiful and that he'd love to bed her but he also knew she was a bit more guarded than the hens back at Enie; she also lacked the knowledge of what Storm could do, so he would be sure to loosen her up before trying again.
\tPalusa nodded and turned to the idol, crossing her ankles with her wrists on her knees. “As I said I encourage skepticism so please do ask what you can and question every answer. But if you must hear it from me I'm happy to give you the unfiltered version of the events that led me here.”
\tStorm crossed his legs and sat in the middle of the temple, equal distance from each and every one of the idols. “Go on, I'm listening.”
\tAnd so she told him in great detail the nature of her every vision with such clarity that it was clear she had told the story hundreds – nay, thousands – of times before. She explained her youth and the visions she first experienced, detailing how she saved lives and helped to guide her people to prosperity by predicting the weather and the natural forces that impacted the farmland to the east. She went into great detail about the images and words the Gods spoke to her concerning the temple, and described how she was able to so fluidly recreate the exact plans needed to make the temple as it was.
\tPalusa went to great lengths to chronicle the path she and her people took to find the most worthy within their village, utilizing tests of strength, spirit, will, and intelligence to find out who was best equipped to act as the conduit of power for the gods. She confessed she didn't know what the criteria were or how the gods judged those that sat upon those thrones, she didn't know how the power would be given to them, or even what form that power would take, just that the Gods told her to find someone worthy and that their power would protect the people from this coming threat.
\tShe related each and every one of her visions to one another, eventually getting to the part where she and her disciples decided to expand their search.
\tIt was very important to her that Storm know that she was getting desperate and that was why she felt the need to expand her search. For much of the prophecy she insisted that only villagers may be seen as worthy, but after giving every single male, female, adult, child, elder, quadruped, and biped a shot at the thrones and not finding the right match, she really had no choice but to insist upon her disciples travelling to find more candidates. \tMost interestingly, she conveyed a few things to Storm that she had kept to herself and hadn't even told her people. The only clue she had as to the nature of the oncoming apocalypse being delivered via fire in the sky. A great explosion above them that rained fire upon them. That was all she knew but chose to keep it to herself just in case it made people panic. This is what caused Storm to interject and say a thing or two about the happenings.
\t“Wait, so you're saying that, for all the knowledge you share and the love you say you have for your people, you're still keeping things from them?”
\tThis took her off guard. She recoiled a bit. “Not with any malicious intent. I just don't feel the exact nature of the danger is all that important. What matters is that this whole land – all of Arrenthen – is in grave danger and we have only a matter of months to prepare for it. Half a year, maximum.” Only then did she finally give in and speak with an air of haughtiness, agog at his insolence.
\tBut Storm wasn't trying to get under her fur. On the contrary, he was looking to approach the situation from another angle, entirely. “My apologies, I wasn't trying to rouse your ire. No, I was mostly wondering why you chose me to be the first you told of this. Why you felt the need to inform me of this danger, the fire raining down from the skies. I'm skilled, I'm sure I'm worthy of whatever it is the gods are offering, but you can't possibly know that. You've not seen what I can do.” He got back to his feet and walked over to her, outstretching a hand. “I'd love to show you.”
\tShe glanced over and ignored his offer for help up as she got to her hooves without him. “I see what you're trying to do and I'm quite certain I'm not interested. Please don't focus all your energy to between your legs; the Gods don't care how well endowed you are or how well you use that spear, they care only for what you can do with a real weapon.” She then grabbed him by the crotch and gave a squeeze while staring him in the eyes. “I'm sure you'll find someone to tend to your needs, but that person will not be me. I have lust in my loins for the gods and them alone.”
\tStorm considered grabbing her and making a move, but he got the impression that this one time that might not be the best decision. Her attention to his groin did stir up something inside him, but he wasn't sure if that was his general need for flesh or if there was an aura of estrus in the temple. Since he knew he couldn't use that 'spear' of his, he backed off and kept his eyes trained on her, no longer worried about mind control or anything like that.
\t“Good. I'm glad to see you have respect for your superiors.” She paused to get a closer look when she noticed that Storm twitched upon hearing her call herself his superior. “But for now I'd be happy to share a meal with you. Perhaps we can get to know each other. Only then will I even consider allowing you to touch me. Understood.”
\tThough reluctant and somewhat resentful over her comment, he nodded. “I understand, as long as you also understand that this won't stop me from trying.”
\t“Try all you like, darling, I'm not interested. I'll tell you what, though; win the ritual combat and prove yourself worthy and I might allow you to bask in my glory. In the mean time-” She paused to clap twice, summoning a pair of small felines in through the entrance, each one gripping one half of a massive platter covered in various meats that were steaming and dressed with fruits and berries around the side. “-please share a meal with me.”
\tStorm, though not happy with being refused by the oracle Palusa, conceded this time and happily sat down to enjoy a meal with her. While dinner began as a formal affair, with her explaining what she had planned and what she expected – as well as why she trusted him – it slowly shifted into something more casual.
\tThe wine helped.
\tIt was clear her haughty actions and appearance were borne of a need to seem dignified in order to display confidence and self assurance. She had a mask on every day she had to act as their prophet and rarely got to be herself; she hated that, but understood that there were forces greater than her guiding her hand. She needed to be strong for her people because the images of death were potent and were rarely far from her thoughts. That was very important.
\tFor all his harshness and cocksure attitude, Storm could relate to this. Not the part about wearing a mask to appear stronger or show more dignity, but the part about being strong for his people. While much of what he did was done with the intention of gaining admiration and respect from the Gryphon Legion as well as everyone else in time, he did everything in the end in order to keep his people safe. He just so happened to feel that the best way to do that was to be in control, to be visible, and to make sure everyone knew they could come to him if they needed him.
\tIn many ways, Palusa felt the same way. She shared so many of her visions regardless of their importance because she felt that the more people believed her the stronger the faith would be. The more she showed her accuracy, the stronger her prophecies would be. She wanted to save her people, to protect her people, and while she hated the attention she accepted the unpleasant nature of it all in order to better help the people of Joraken – and apparently the entirety of the Arrenthen Basin – to be strong.
\tDespite the two of them spending hours together, bonding over the meal while joking about how eager Storm seemed to be to show up a month before the ritual combat, Storm never did get to touch her again. At least, not in the way he wanted. She was pleasant, she was respectable, and she was amicable to his companionship but she wanted no part of him from a physical perspective.
\tLuckily, he took her advice after the two parted ways and was able to find a lovely equine partner to spend the night with.
\t
=====--=--=====
\tChapter 04: The Ritual of Combat
\tLethias was the next one to arrive in Joraken. While his settlement was farther away from Joraken than Storm's village of Enie and he took a few hours to ruminate over his decision before agreeing to leave his home, he arrived mere hours after Storm had gotten acquainted with Palusa. The reason for this was simple: Lethias was eager to learn and excited at the prospect of gaining the power needed to ensure his people – and the people of Arrenthen – were safe.
\tWhile Storm took a leisurely pace from his village to Joraken, Lethias pumped his wings with all his might, practically piercing the skies to arrive as soon as possible. He hated the idea that he was leaving his settlement but he countered that concern with the self-assurance that he was doing so with the greatest intentions in his heart.
\tEn route, he kept in contact with Tritus and Vel'Gahrus, who shared a lovely conversation with him about how happy they were that he agreed to come back to Joraken with them as their chosen warrior for the ritual combat. The revealed – nay, admitted – that they'd actually been silently observing Lethias and others in his settlement for the better part of the past two days and came to the conclusion that he was by far the best candidate based on what they saw. In their eyes, he was the only one who was training, practicing, and keeping an eye out on others for the entire duration of their recon mission.
\tThey explained that they watched a half dozen others, observing behaviour and casually interacting with many of them with the implication that they were considering starting up a coliseum for money and that everyone seemed far too interested in the money and none of them cared about their skill or the pride that came with it.
\tLethias was a little upset that neither Vel'Gahrus nor Tritus took the time to administer this test to him, but when he expressed this concern they assured him that they had seen the way he interacted with others on his own merits. They observed that he was always willing to lend a hand, to help others out, and to offer his services to anyone who needed it regardless of the task.
\tThat was enough to convince them that he was the champion they needed to approach about the prophecy. He was their best bet to prove his worthiness to the gods. The fact that they witnessed him practicing physical magic when they approached him was quite serendipitous but not intended.
\tEverything they said gave Lethias a swell of pride that warmed his heart. He always felt that, as a dragon, it was his responsibility to protect the people of this land and he would do anything to fulfill that self-established destiny. While his goal was never for recognition or to feed his ego, it felt wonderful to see that others saw the good in him and sought his help knowing quite well that he wasn't in it for fame or glory. That little bit of recognition propelled him towards Joraken with rejuvenated vigour, which was in part why he ended up arriving right around sundown soon after Storm and Palusa parted ways from the temple.
\tUnlike Storm, however, Lethias was escorted by Tritus and Vel'Gahrus so he knew exactly where to land and what to say without the many temple guards raising their blades towards him.
\tAs it turned out, the best place for a dragon or a gryphon to land was right in front of the temple at the exact same location that Storm had set down. Lethias did a bit of a flourish and a flip before landing in the middle of the clearing, head down, one knee on the ground and his hand on his other, raised knee. Tritus and Vel landed behind him, assuring the guards that Lethias was their champion.
\tLethias kept his head bowed in respect while glancing around to take in his surroundings. He was kneeling, crouched upon what could best be described as an altar before the temple, a plateau of golden-yellow bricks clearly meant as a courtyard that was to house worshipers of the temple itself. The clearing before the temple was rectangular, the width of the temple itself but only outstretched in the one direction leaving the structure closed in by jungle on the other three sides.
\tFrom the sky, he had observed the basic layout of Joraken, which looked a lot like a cross section of an ant's nest: a series of clearings with buildings in them connected by narrow pathways. It almost looked like a maze to him, but that might have been due to the fact that twilight had fallen upon the land and he couldn't see everything.
\tHe hated twilight. Still bright enough that his eyes hadn't adjusted to the dark so they were nearly useless. Luckily, he was able to keep Tritus and Vel close by.
\tMere seconds after his descent to the court before the temple, Palusa stepped out from between the two stairwells that lined the side of the temple to a pair of plateaus that looked like they should have housed statues or idols of some sort.
\tShe was far more relaxed this time. Having already dealt with Storm and taming him while calling off her disciples after the gryphon's arrival, she was far better prepared for Lethias even if she was shocked to be getting a second champion so soon. In truth, she was taken by surprise by Storm's arrival – she didn't expect anyone until the week leading up to the event they had planned.
\t“Welcome, welcome to Joraken!” She said, her voice soft but commanding at the same time. It was clear within seconds that she had mastered the gift of voice by having presence without being at all threatening. “I take it you're the champion from-”
\t“Indeed he is!” Tritus blurted out. “Vel and I found him and found him to be the best candidate from the southern reaches of the Arrenthen basin! None were better equipped to fulfill the prophecy!”
\tPalusa raised a hand to silence him and also preempt Vel's interjection. “That's all well and good, but I'd like if I could speak to this drake.” She then turned to Lethias. “My name is Palusa Yonge Cezebres. I am the oracle of this temple and I have summoned you from beyond our borders to aid in an oncoming conflict. Tell me, sir, by what name do you call yourself?”
\tLethias found that he quickly came to admire this pegasus mare. She was polite and cordial when she could have been arrogant or otherwise stuck-up, and he appreciated that. He knew who she was, so he knew how much her people revered her. “My name is Lethias Kerraie. It's a pleasure to meet you.” He outstretched his hand to take hers, hoping she'd allow him the honour.
\tInstead, she chuckled at him. “Stop kneeling, Lethias. I'm not a king or a queen. I'm no chief and certainly not an elder. I'm just a prophet.”
\t“I can't imagine being a prophet is something one would wish to devalue. If you have the gift of sight – which your followers are convinced that you do – then perhaps you deserve more reverence than you demand.” Lethias got to his feet but remained stoic, not making any further moves towards her as he expected her to guide him and lead the conversation. She was the one with the power.
\tPalusa just shrugged as she motioned for him to follow. “I never asked to be their oracle, I don't control the prophecies or the words of the gods that come through me. I prefer to be another member of this village, this tribe; if I had it my way I wouldn't have any of this fame or admiration but that's not the reality of the situation, now is it?” She turned and winked as she pumped her tail a few times under the linen dress. “I'm sure you understand that you do the best with what you have.”
\tTritus and Vel glanced at each other before leaving, content their part in this chapter had come to its conclusion. On the way, they could be heard talking about how hungry they were.
\tLethias nodded as he took the first few steps across the court towards the temple. “That truly is the best anyone can ask of another. Make the best with what you have available to you. That's why I'm here, you know. I want to do what I can to make the best of this land, to offer myself to the gods as an indentured servant in exchange for the power that the temple bestows.”
\t“Honourable. I've known you mere minutes and I already feel that way about you.” Palusa confessed as she led him into the temple. Inside, the dozen altars were all illuminated by glowing ademane gems, each one a slightly different shade to give the interior room a feeling of natural light. “I have to say, it's a little humbling to see two of you arrive so quickly knowing the actual event wasn't scheduled for another month. Tell me, Lethias, why are you here so soon? I'm sure I know or can predict the answer but I wish to hear it from you.”
\tAfter taking a moment to find a comfortable room in the middle of the temple an equal distance from the twelve idols – each one representing a different god or goddess – Lethias paused to rub his chin and think about how to answer. He felt this might have been a test, a sort of entrance exam to see if he was able to think on the fly about the virtues that made him special. He was prepared to treat this like an interview akin to the one he had to endure before joining the Dragon Brigade – the military group that protected his settlement and the border nearby.
\tBut it appeared Palusa – who had made her way to the Ceylon statue – caught him thinking too hard. “Darling, this isn't an examination, you don't need to think up the most inspiring and eloquent of speeches to impress me. I'm just a mare asking a drake a question; I'm not testing you, I'm just curious what it was that inspired you to drop everything and rush your way to Joraken. My disciples mustn't have arrived more than a day or two ago so it appears you hadn't put much thought into it.”
\t“Oh, I put a lot of thought into it. Vel'Gahrus and Tritus happened to arrive and accost me during one of my meditative training sessions.” Lethias explained as he stepped up to the nearby Leera statue. He gave the intricate carvings of snake scales a bit of a rub before shuddering in discomfort imagining a snake that large near him; he knew this was a stone idol and that the goddess Leera was a kind soul but he still was very uncomfortable around snakes. “When I was young, I witnessed a great tragedy in my homeland, a bloody battle that I couldn't help to stop. People died. Friends and family got hurt. I couldn't imagine standing idly by to witness that again.”
\t“So you took to the skies and didn't look back?” Palusa interjected, motioning towards the Ceylon statue to indicate that it was the source of power.
\tLethias nodded. “You could say that. I asked Tritus and Vel about what it was that you were offering and what it was that was expected from me but they informed me that neither you nor they were fully aware of what it was that was to be expected. That hesitation was the only reason I took a few hours to mull it over instead of just taking flight immediately. In truth, I heard that there may be a conflict on the horizon and I'd do anything to stop it, whether that means offering myself to the temple or not. I want to protect. At all costs.”
\tPalusa nodded, taking in every word he spoke. “I admire that, and I do feel that such traits will be key in deciding who the gods chose as their vessel. Their champion. Skills in battle and intelligence are important but are useless without the heart to use them for the greater good. You and Storm both appear to have that desire to do good, even if your methods may be disparate.”
\t“Storm?” Lethias interjected. “Who is that?”
\t“A gryphon from Enie to the north. He wasn't supposed to come; we weren't even considering Enie as a source of a champion but I suppose Maaravi and Tzerin saw something in him and offered him a slot. The gods themselves will choose, I suppose.”
\tLethias looked to the Ceylon statue, chuckling. “Ah yes, natural that a gryphon would be keen on acquiring great power. How else will they compete with dragons.” He laughed a bit more but then stopped himself to get back on track. “Will I meet this gryphon?”
\tPalusa nodded again, this time with more sincerity. “I hope you will all meet one another before the ritual combat. We have very strict rules concerning our ritual combat. No killing. We're friends and allies, not enemies. We only kill when necessary.”
\t“I like that rule.” Lethias pitched in.
\tAt that moment, Vel'Gahrus and Tritus arrived at the entrance to the temple with a massive silver platter covered in meat and fruits and vegetables. The exact same platter with the same selection of meats that Palusa had offered a hungry and eager Storm mere hours prior. Palusa motioned for Lethias to enjoy the food without accepting any herself; she was still full from her prior meal.
\tThe dragon wished to decline for fear that he might come across as gluttonous to Palusa but that feeling didn't last long at all. He had used a lot of energy flying to Joraken at such speeds and hadn't eaten for much of the day. Still, he wanted to be polite so he gingerly took a small bit of fruit to nibble upon instead of a slab of meat.
\t“Come now, Lethias, you can enjoy a meal. There's no need to stand on ceremony in order to look good. As I said I'm not the type to demand class, not even from a dragon.”
\tHer words encouraged him to take a few ribs each with large amounts of meat on them. “I understand that, but I'm not a feral beast, I generally prefer utensils and a plate on a table over gorging myself. That said, I suppose this will do.” He held up the rib by the bone, showing it was the only thing he could eat without getting sloppy meat juices all over himself.
\t“I suppose that makes sense. Around here most of us just dig in unless we're wearing our good clothes.” She motioned to herself, drawing attention to her white linen dress. “So now that you're here and you've explained your motivations, I am happy to answer any questions! If I know the answer, I will respond truthfully.” She then sat between the Leera and Ceylon idols, each of them carved into and around the pillars that held the temple up.
\tLethias paused to enjoy his first rib in its entirety, waiting to finish chewing, swallowing, and wiping the juices from his chin before daring to speak. Once he was clean, he waffled a bit, not sure what he wanted to say. “I have questions, obviously. I suppose the most prominent of them would be about the ritual combat. You tell me it's regulated to ensure safety – which I'm glad to hear; I'd not be able or willing to compete if it required the death of an ally – but beyond that I don't know much. Is it a tournament? A round-robin? Single elimination? Double elimination?”
\tHis inquiries made Palusa smile. They were not the questions she expected to be answering; she was expecting each and every champion to ask about the source of the power, the channeling of it, and what the power entailed. Lethias wanted none of that, he chose this time to ask about the nature of the combat with concerns about the safety of the other champions. Palusa liked hearing that. “None of those, actually. We've settled on a battle royale that is equal parts combat and problem solving.”
\t“So not a tournament? Not one-on-one?” Lethias interjected, then took another bone from the rack of ribs to eat it while she answered. He was polite but still needed to eat.
\t“Not a tournament, no. We tried that with our own people to see who in our village was best equipped to absorb the power the temple offered but it didn't work. We also tried finding our smartest, the strongest of will, and the kindest, but nothing. The reason we're opening the temple to outsides is because none of the locals have been accepted by the gods to be given the power.” She paused after emphasizing the word 'power', expecting Lethias to probe into its nature but he didn't.
\tInstead, he finished up his rib and cleaned his fingers. “So how does it work? What does this battle consist of? What do we have to do? Care to give a breakdown so I know what I'm getting into? Or is this more of a surprise and I'll find out the day it happens?”
\tShe took an apple and enjoyed a bite before answering. “It's a combination of a battle royale and a scavenger hunt. Our elders and my disciples are concocting a series of tests, questions, and arenas in which the dozen of you will be competing. Thirteen hidden idols will be hidden in and around the village, and each of you will be allowed to come and go as you please over a full day's time, twenty hours. If you meet with one another on your travels – say you randomly come across one another or both find your way to the same hidden idol – then you fight. The loser will be put in a detention for two hours and will be let out after that sizable delay.”
\t“And how do you determine the winner? Of the individual fights and of the overall competition via ritual combat?”
\t“Whoever brings the most of the idols to the temple will win. There's one for each of the Gods as well as one representing the temple itself, this ensures that there won't be a twelve-way tie. If, perchance, there is a tie, then the final test will be arena combat between those who match one another. Beyond that, the details are going to be kept secret until the day of the battle.”
\tAll of this sounded oddly pleasant to Lethias. He liked how it incorporated multiple disciplines to test people in regards to their will, their strength, and their intelligence. He wasn't sure how it tested one's soul but assumed that would be explained later. He didn't even ask his next question before Palusa answered it for him.
\t“In the month leading up to this ritual, you are welcome to remain here in Joraken as a guest of honour. You may eat our food, enjoy our hospitality, sleep in the tree-homes that line the village, and if you wish you're welcome to be physical with the locals. I know Storm was happy to hear that when I offered him a hen to keep him company for the night.”
\tLethias shook his head in disdain. “I'm here to prove myself, not to take pleasure or indulge myself. I appreciate the offer but if I'm here I expect to help in any way I can. I can hunt, I can forage, I can use my magic to protect your people, and if needed I can use my hands to heal.”
\tPalusa paused and huffed in approval, subtly nodding her head. “Very unlike Storm. His focus seemed to be on reverence, yours is in servitude. I like that.”
\t“You seem to harbour disdain for Storm. Do you not like him?”
\t“Oh, that's not the case at all.” She laughed with a dismissive wave. “He's just very different. I truly feel that the one and the many need to be balanced in order to best serve your people. A tribe is strongest when its people are unified, but if each individual link isn't strong then the whole chain can break. I'm a believer that any individual needs to look out for themselves first in order to serve the tribe if the tribe is to be strong. Both you and Storm have your value and I feel we need you both.”
\tLethias nodded and finished off another bit of ribs. “I'm glad to hear it. I'm not so sure he and I will get along, though. If he's already here then I presume we may clash. If that's a problem, do I come to you with my concerns?”
\t“I'd prefer if you didn't, but you may. Yes. I'd rather you either worked out your differences on your own time or used that as fuel to compete rather than involving a third party, but you do whatever you feel is best. I'm quite certain that the gods wish to see you in your purest form to judge you, so I suppose you could see the next month as a test of your mettle.” She smiled and got to her feet, stealing another apple from Lethias's platter. “So make yourself at home, get to know the locals, and pray to the altars if you wish. You do what you feel is right and I'm certain you will be rewarded. However, with that said it is late and I would like to sleep for the night. Shall I see you here in the morning?”
\t“You shall. If that's what you would like.”
\t“I would. Sleep well Lethias. Ask the disciples outside the temple to guide you to your accommodations. I'll let them know.” She offered him a bow and a smile before exiting the temple, leaving Lethias on the ground with a platter between him and the Ceylon idol carved into the pillar.
\tHe still had questions but understood that he had a month to ask them and get better acquainted with the locals. It was nice to be alone so he could eat the food offered to him in peace without having to worry as much about his image even if he wasn't the type to act like a beast regardless.
\tThe dragon was in for one eventful month. One he knew was going to be interesting given the rivalry his people had with gryphons. He and Storm, they were an explosion waiting to ignite.
\t(To Be Continued...)