User blog:SirForgotmypassword3times/Legacy of the SabreFein 'Brother's Rivalry' Book One

Legacy of the SabreFein

"Brothers' Rivalry"

My Life (According to our fictional author, Vanburr SanWillis Fenwalt) Born in South Eastern HamensHalt, west of the continent Patreighnia, Vanburr lived a solemn life as an amateur sable artist. His grandfather had come here many seasons ago to inhabit this place for their own use of farming. The marshes and grasslands of the area provided small places to leave their crops to the water of the land. His father and his father worked the land and started a colony with their friends. This colony was named Fen Shire according to the condition of the land. Young Vanburr, born in 468 A.D. Earthly Equivalence, took up the use of a fair sized booklet where he sketched all kinds of different things he had seen, imagined, or discovered. His amazement of the great birds of above brought to him a perspective of flying. He started making fair sized sketches of sable-like wing-bearing beings that flew among the skies and lived upon the clouds. These sketches were first stylized into a flowing form of wires arranged and bent together to form a stained glass picture. This developed into a vast story that could go on forever leading to what could have been their time. He pictured this as the days of the distant past. He began writing his book in his own language and script including those stylized sketches to emphasize the action and give a sense of perspective to the reader. When he finished his first book, he had his friends read it and they had been impressed. His stories were recopied by hand and were brought to the 'Great Shire' to be mass produced and handed to those willing to purchase them. His stories inflicted a sense of revenge, valor, hatred, warfare, passion, jealousy, love, pain, and more. He began writing even more, and started translating it into the common text (English equivalent) and transformed his old sketches into more intricate and realistic sketches. He continued on writing until the day of his death, with his children there to continue the legend...

'I started long time ago with the simple sketching of birds. The fascinating creation, always enjoyable by its watchers. The perspective of flying was but a simple idea in my head that wanted to apply itself to my own physical capabilities, but being wingless beings, of course we cannot fly; as the ferrets anatomy is devoid of wings. The idea came to my head and eventually played itself into a story as such of a sable bearing wings. I drew myself a skeleton of a sable and created a fair-sized placement for wings. Some sort of extra terrestrial being it was which came out of the sketches; flying high among the clouds clad in gleaming armour, then there came Cebreus, the protagonist of the whole story. And so it began, a long story beyond much that any of us beings on HamensHalt* could think up, a story enjoyed by one and all within the community in FenShire. So now I begin with a story starting with two brothers, separated by warfare, in which one being would be downed forever...' ~ Vanburr Sanwillis Fenwalt "Book 1: Betrayal" Prologue A long, long time ago in the presence of the Most High, a flare of light entered the land of Iaeius Taera known as the Flames of Trol'Fein planting life and purity on in this land. From this seed of life grew and prospered as a kingdom of purity and splendor, in the Kingdom of Tollus. But yet, darkness somehow escaped from the Doom Phases planting all evil on the land but only as an essence waiting to emerge from everyman's heart. This darkness which had been there in the Dieaus Phase many eternities ago. This darkness lead to the creation of the Four Tier of Darkness placed by the Cast downs who had been condemned for their evil desires. During this era, the Four Tiers of Light were being established also. Evil took its toll among all of its victims, ruining lives, making them seemingly better but to be ended, and destroying peoples' paths. Evil was the one thing that was strictly forbidden in the high kingdoms. If any evil was found in one's heart in the high terraces, they shall be cast down into the kingdoms of darkness where all evil had started. Many have been cast down, trying their best to toll their revenge on their enemies above but yet failed. But one brethren of the high terraces would rise up and defy this...
 * continent west of Patreignia (concept continent in which the Redwall World is located {My concept map of the 'World will soon be drawn out}) named after the coming of Lord Hamen Anargus I, conqueror of the eastern shores.

Chapter 1 "Secondaries, what?"

'If evil takes a whisper into thine ear, Don't take heed to it, If evil dare influence thee, Shun it away... But if you listen, Its consequences will take its toll, Cast down amidst the darkness deep, A place of no return... Forever now your home...

Thameius battered ruthlessly at the wooden sparring beam with a vigorous passion. Splinters continued flying from the beam as he battered away grunting with excursion until Verron, his trainer, placed his paw on his shoulder. Thameius wiped sweat from his brow and turned to Verron who folded his wings and crossed his arms starring at him plainly. Thameius looked back at him expecting a compliment or criticism from his master but no word came out of his mouth. Then finally he opened his mouth and spoke. "Hmm, something is not right." "Yes master, tell me what needs correction. Is there something wrong with my technique?" Verron starred at Thameius' battleaxe and back to the spar and shook his head in displeasure. Verron was strict with the way his students learned their techniques and if any splinter on the spar was bent the wrong way and was missing or in the wrong position on the floor, he would lecture his victim ruthlessly. His scrutiny of his trainees' work gave them maximum discipline on how they trained and made sure that every single cut and wound in their enemy was done right. Even in the middle of battle, if his closest apprentice had just dispatched a warriors head and it didn't look right or the blood of the animal was not bleeding right, even then he would give a comment. Thameius didn't fear much of his master's beating when he closed down on the fresh baked cakes cooling on the window sill but he ever feared his lectures. It wasn't the swift or hard warnings on what to do or what not, but it was just how plain, flat, and repetitive they were. Thameius would sometimes receive the same lecture with the same words, the same tones, and the same subjects three to five times a day. By now it was the sixth time that day he was lectured by his master, and he ever wished he hadn't hit too hard on his forty-eighth blow at the spar. For what seemed like an eternity, Verron was shaking his head and speaking to him how to do this and that, how hard you should hit and all such, and the extreme ponderous speech coming out of Verron's lips bored him down and he could no longer take listening to him. "Master, please stop with the long lectures. Just anything but those lectures. If you could speak it at least a bit faster, I would be able to pick up one word. It's now the sixth time today that you have lectured me about how I spar with a piece of wood. You've always been using the same details in every single lecture, at least put a single difference between each lecture, I just can't stand them!" "So, you mean I have memorized all of those one-hundred thousand and ninety-two lectures taught to me by my own master in vain. Think now, being his apprentice was the one thing I wished not to be, but yet being his best student, I had to make that sacrifice of listening to him. It's all legend if we don't listen and memorize these thing. These lectures have been memorized and passed on from master to master and have not been written down into word to keep them out of the wrong hands. So listen before I recite this memorized session all over again."* Thameius already knew how to react to these loops by just keeping quiet and listening. As the apprentice, he was to learn everything his master knew. The lecture bored him to such an extent that sitting down was his only relief. Luckily, his close friend Cebreus came into the dojo to relieve him of his tormenting. "Verron, hasn't Thameius taken enough punishment today. Shouldn't you be checking on the other trainees. I know that it is tradition but if he has to take in all of this, one day he could go crazy and jump down into the land of darkness where I bet he will have a better time away from your mental book." Cebreus being of a much higher office than him, he knew better to listen, and anyways, he was* going quite hard on Thameius. He left the dojo to Cebreus and Thameius where Thameius thanked him for saving him from his horrible master. "Thank you Cebreus. If he gave me another complete lecture there, I don't know what I would do to myself for my only relief." "How about you try again and see if you get it right." Cebreus placed a brand new spar in the place of the old one and let Thameius take another fifty blows at the spar as he commented while examining the old spar. "Tch, I see you got it wrong on your forty-eight blow. You really should listen to Verron's lectures." Thameius ignored Cebreus remark and continued battering away at the piece of wood then Verron took a peek in from behind the courtyard door: "Finally, you got it right," then crept away closing the door quietly. Thameius sat down leaning against the wall, chuckling to himself. "Old Verron, never changing he is, imagine old Varyan. I wonder how he survived the wars against Drauvenn and his clan knowing that Sabre was behind him. Hehe, maybe it's the only reason he survived. 'Verron don't stab him that hard. Only take a fifty-two degree swipe at his head then back to ready position. You shouldn't have missed that soldier's swipe, you could've killed both of them, but the way you're fighting, you could've got the swipe wrong on both of 'em.' He must have gone berserk by then. Quite funny fellows those trainers are." "And don't forget to slice that halberd bearer with your secondary, [hehe]." Thameius couldn't hold himself from slaying the old cully and flung his dagger at his head but Verron swiftly dodged and closed the door leaving the knife fixated in the three inch thick slab of wood they call a door. "I'll show you my secondary!" he scowled.
 * literally everything he said just at that time was memorized
 * he was actually picking on him

Chapter 2 "Planning for the Future Life"

Crebreus placed a paw on his shoulder in an attempt to placate the enraged apprentice. "You know Thameius, it's an obsession in every master here. He knows and has memorized so much that he will stop at anything to get it out. So you shouldn't be so hard on him." "Him, being hard on him, don't you see how he's picking on me with such flat verbal use. It's, it's amazing! Ingenious! Evil!" "It is just a force of habit in these masters so you shan't be calling him evil," Cebreus remarked with a bit of humour to his friend's outrageous declaration. "You know, soon you will be doing this to your own student and they will be throwing three knives at you by then." "Well, how would I become a master if I've been born like a Traullen; without the wings of the Sabre. I live in the house of the high Sabre, but I look like the lowest there is..." "But you have the strength and skill of the highest. You don't need wings. Wings bees but an essential given to us by our creators. Masters are not chosen by their ability to fly around and snipe down their enemies with a bow, it matters on your skill." "Yeah, I know, but being able to fly around and snipe mine enemies with a bow would be quite convenient." "Well Thameius, sometimes, all the enemy has are flying archers hailing missiles from the air killing our ground units. That's why we fight in the air with our parry. Ah, I see..." Thameius wiped a tear from his cheek knowing he should not abhor the way he was born. His disability had brought him much disadvantage, he could not train in all the guilds he wished and could not fight high above with the elite guards. Although none of his fellow pupils ridiculed him but rather tried supporting him with comfort, he knew his future was not as desired. Cebreus sat down beside his friend who was now sobbing his heart out and spoke to him with a soothing voice. "It's all right Thameius. It's all right..." ~ Dionius trod on the paved walkways of Farniea in the direction of the Great Shrine. The Shrine worshipped no being but was actually just an archive containing ancient text of the past age in the higher terraces. The building contained thousands of manuscripts and scrolls all kept in wooden gold-embroidered tubes and massive books. Still clad in his famed battle suit, without his Grande Halberd, he opened the enormous Golden gate and stepped into the place of all his knowledge. His heavy steps echoed in the vast cavern lined with thousands of manuscripts and caught the attention of Samen, the Librarian. Another lonely wingless being she was, grown old of age with the job of a book tender, she never got to fulfill her dreams. "Hello Dionius, I see you've brought your armour with you. I guess there is no point in asking you to keep quiet while you are in that...." the miserable creature sighed and went back to her business. She also was not a Traullen and was rare cared for by many. Dionius greeted her hearty and proceeded to the higher tiers of the archive in search for a document he had wanted to read. "Hmm, The Manual for Archery, Lord Zurphath, The Strong Will of the Flame, Lord Naven, ah, there you go, Lord Naven's techniques with his halberd. This should do me well." The book was simply a manual full of different illustrations of techniques on using a halberd. Although Dionius was already a good halberd wielding beast, he wanted to learn the skills of one of the best known. Out of all the things he learnt with a halberd, nothing in the book had been taught to him. Some tricks that Lord Naven had performed were beyond doable even by a well trained being. Some tricks include the halberd twirling at amazing speeds slaying fifteen enemy units at once, some were simply to swift to do, some were too dangerous, and some were recommended not to be done unless it was to be your last move. Why he was reading these scripts, nobody knew, why he would need to, was also unknown. He just tended to be fascinated by this general's amazing skill with the weapon and he would try to perform some of the tricks but usually failed. " 'Draw blade between two enemies, swing up, swirl, and slay both. If nine others have not been slain, you did it wrong, then try again.' Truly impossible these are. He speaks of them to be by chance only. Huh huh, try again. It's all too vague. The instruction he give are not enough, sad thing is that he's dead and can't tell me how. Tried this tried that, doesn't seem to work. It's just wasting energy on a few enemies... gah!" A dagger slammed right between his fingers narrowly skim the book. A kindly face starred at him with a grim smile being emitted from it. A cloud passed and sunlight entered through a small peak hole revealing the face of the adversary. "Hallo brother, how yeh' doin'?" "Neurelieaus*, what are you doing here, eh?" "Well, I thought it would be nice to see what you're reading this time. Looks like yer' back at that ol' book. You know that nearly all of those tricks are impossible." Dionius reached out by his side for his halberd to beat his younger brother good but remembered he hadn't brought it, not even his dagger. Somehow, his brother wouldn't hesitate on annoying him, even after a well done beating. "Leave me now, please brother. Now just go, your presence displeases me..." "Well, why do you have to go all fancy talk with me, eh? I thought I had the rights to intrude 'ur business." Dionius clenched his fist in annoyance and was about to box his brother but when he looked up, he was gone and was heading for the stairs, but flew down instead. He wished his brother would stop disturbing him every day but Neurelieaus would still go and bother him even after being beaten mercilessly by him. Dionius didn't wasn't being mean, but just wanted to teach him a lesson, a simple lesson, with brute force. But he always did this with his armour on, somehow without his armour, he couldn't deliver maximum blows at his brother and the armour only made him seem stronger, but he was yet sleek. Without his armour, anyone would be happy to destroy him, but with it on, stepping on someone's foot would be enough to warn them not to. He read some more from the script then closed up the book and walked away. Samen bid him good bye and went back to sorting her books. ~	Night time came and Ionidus was in his dorm at his home in the palace. He was waiting for his children to arrive that night for dinner. Now old with age, he would stay in the palace to council the kingdom and rarely exited the place. He was fond of his home and his fine seat beside his reading table where he would sit and bring back to himself the times of the past. His children have grown into fine adults and were masters of the high guilds. Ionidus was proud of what his children became and knew they were going to become great beings in the line of Light. His mate, Carna, came in bringing a tray full of food for their dinner and placed it down on the table. "Ionidus, have you seen the children lately, they were supposed arrive here a few minutes ago?" "Well, I don't they will be here in a while. Let's give them time, they might be doing some sort of errand for someone or training with Verron. If they are not here in thirty minutes or so, then we will call them." "Well, if we don't call them now, the pigeon will go cold. If they are like, they will just have to eat it that way," she said then walked back into her room. Suddenly, Teurus* came running in and sat herself by the table. "What's for dinner dad?" "Well, just some pigeon your mother shot down earlier. Eat up now. Do you have any idea where your brother's have gone?" "Umm, I saw Dionius walking to the library and Cebreus sparring with Sam. I'm sure they should be here soon. Mmm, nice pigeon ma." Carna was happy that Teurus was not late that day and greeted her daughter happily. "Mother, you should let me go hunting with you tomorrow. I would like to try it myself." "So why didn't you go with me? If you came a lot earlier, you could have come with me." "Well, I was crafting myself a long bow to replace my old one." Teurus ate the pigeon with some grain and drank some water from her beaker. Her new bow had a few engravings in it and still needed stringing. She had been working on the bow since last week and wished to test it by the next day. Cebreus arrived with his two brothers who were fighting. "When I get my halberd from its case, I'll teach you a good lesson to stop annoying me!" "Come on brother, I just wanted to see what you were doing. It doesn't mean you have to kill me!" Neurelieaus pleaded for mercy as Dionius closed down upon him with his massive axe-bladed halberd but his father's strong grip bid him not to do it. "Sons, you know you are already past this age. You should be acting more responsible by now and I don't want to have to speak to the person who find you two acting strangely. You two are fine grown adults and you two should be acting like one." "Well, you see here, my brother tends to be fond of intruding my privacy and bothers me no matter how many times I teach him not to!" "Well, it's your job to council your younger brother and not slay him for peeking into your book. So settle your disputes, sit down and eat before I make you." Dionius walked down the hall to his chamber where he remove his armour and proceeded back to the table in a beige cloak. Neurelieaus filled his plate with some grain and ate some of the pigeon his mother had cooked. The dinner was great and they finished off with some of the cakes their mother had baked. "Father, shouldn't we already outside of the house by now. We are grown adults and are ready to leave the family, when will you let us go?" "Children, you will be allowed to leave this family once you are ready to start a family of your own. Our law bids us not to leave until we are sure we will be safe and have someone to be taken care of. Thus you need to start your own family and stock up your own provisions to live on or else you shall stay here to live to you die. It's simple." Dionius knew he was not ready to leave his beloved home yet but he still wanted more freedom. He wanted his second heir will and wanted to leave to have a life of his own. But he could not find someone for himself to start this family with. Being 20 years of age, he felt that he was ready. Teurus didn't want to bring the subject any longer and was happy where she lived at that time. Cebreus knew who he was going to go for...
 * complex spelling for Narius (meaning 'Nary does he look at us' (never looked at his parents)
 * pronounced as Tuero or Tuera

Chapter 3 "Father's Will"

The fine friend of his since childhood. The fine maiden Sabre who cared most. Now, when does he go on to pursue this one. Already friends but just waiting for the age to come. Should he leave now, he knew by then his father would give to him his inheritance. He was ready to leave the home but he knew he wasn't leaving it but rather becoming its new owner. He had been waiting for a long time for this day to become imminent. He woke up that night, as last night's discussion urged him to go and ask his father if he may start planning this day. He knew that he shouldn't take this matter now but he wanted to gain the freedom he wanted. He hides an idea in his mind, he is not ready to proclaim it to his father. He just wished he was confident enough to ask of his father's approval. He was certain that eventually, this day would come and when he was ready to ask for this privilege. The oldest of his father's children, exactly what his father wanted him to become. He wanted to go and speak to his father of this, but he felt that he should wait. Should he go on before he receives his inheritance. When he becomes the new heir of the kingdom, he shall dominate. Even though he did not need another heir to succeed him since he was already at the last tier of the high kingdoms, he just wanted her there by his side as he ruled. All SabreFein were immortal, but could only die when someone slew them. One who was slain in the places of the High would stay to live in the terrace of the Most High Beings, but all who were condemned were to go down to the Dieaus Phase rule by the mighty Doom Master, Dieaus. And being immortal, he could rule Farniea for eternity, unless he was slain or died of any form of sickness or poisoning (considered being slain; being immortal, age did not bring sickness and decaying forms of anthropy). Cebreus didn't want to wake up now. But the idea pressed him on. Was it time, now, should he go, he just didn't know the best time. Even Mei was ready for this day, their relationship was already fine between them. He finally decided that he would wake up and wait until his father brought the idea of the giving of his inheritance to him. He got out of his bed and proceeded out to the breakfast table to be greeted by his family who were half done with their meal. Had he overslept that night, pondering such thoughts? "Cebreus, you're late..." "Ah, must've been in bed for long." "Sit down, we're near finished the meal." Cebreus sat himself on his seat beside his father. His meal had gone cold and his water had gone to room temperature. By the time he had finished, the others had left the place and Dionius was still putting on his armour. He donned his cloak, took up his bow and headed for the door but his father called him back. "Cebreus, wait, let us talk now. Dionius, you may leave." Dionius departed from the room and left Cebreus to take his seat beside his father once again. Cebreus sat down and listened attentively to his fathers speaking. "Now, Cebreus, you are getting older now and let us talk about what we had discussed... " Cebreus cut into his speech in his certainty of the subject. "Yes, yes, I was pondering that this morning. So, yes father?" "Son, you are growing up and it is about time that you received your will. You are about 23 years* old now, and believe it was time that you would receive it. " "I see father, so when shall it be planned?" "Once you are prepared. So are you sure about Mei?" "I guess so father, we planned this two seasons ago. Shall we begin planning." The two discussed the terms and things that would be distributed to him during the ceremony as father and son would do when their will was to be passed onto their eldest son. After going over the will that his father had planned, they shook hands in agreement and initiation of his separation and Cebreus exited the chamber to go onto his everyday routines. ~	Cebreus continued his way to the archery compound where he passed by Mei. Mei and him have already been close friends for a long time and have thought out their futures together. So Cebreus thought it well to tell her the news. "So, Mei, my father has planned to give me my inheritance by next week and the ceremony shall take place the next day." "Ah, finally. Hmm..." "Yeah, it is. So remember to come when my father presents the will." "Alright, now, I shall prepare the dowry and speak with my father." Cebreus could see that she was surprised with this news and gave out a thin smile and walked with her to the archery range. Mei had trained herself to hold in all of her mirth until the time had come rather than automatically go on shouting with joy to the bewilderment of those surrounding her. Mei kept her eyes to her foot paws as she walked, her wings folded as if pondering something of the future events. Cebreus let her be and walked at a distance to not disturb his friend's pondering. ~	Teurus was testing her newly stringed bow on the range and watched the couple walk into the compound greeting her elder brother with hearty mood. "Hello brother, how do you do? How are you and Mei?" "We have been talking lately about future things. Father has decided to present my inheritance next week and we have been planning for the next ceremony." "Yay, my brother is receiving father will! I am sure you two will be happy together." Cebreus hugged his young sister and patted the proud fellow lightly on the back. "Yes, it's time. Should I share the news with our brothers?" Mei was selecting some shafts from the rack and filled her quiver with the 30 she had found to be the best. A smile lay itself on her face for she was excited for the events that were to come. She braced the shaft to the bowstring then loosed the shaft leaving a clean bull's-eye in the target placed 50 metres away from their positions on the range. It was one of the main qualities Cebreus liked about Mei, skill; matching his own. Practice continued at the range and it was about time they had gone bird hunting. They proceeded to a place close to the edge of the city where birds flew high over the ground that lay far below the fixated cloud city, the place of darkness, otherwise known as the first and last tier was established to be inhabited by the cast ones. A massive iron golden plated fence blocked creatures from falling over into their undeserved fate. Citizens in the archery guild were allow to fly and soar high beyond the boundary, as long as they did not fall. The three friends and the other archers in the guild were lead by Cebreus (deemed instructor not long ago) and were informed to pause until Cebreus instructed to continue. Cebreus made a gesture and all the archers soared off and chased the flock of birds practicing their skills of shooting moving targets. Not a single arrow missed its target and birds fell down to their fate. But yet each flyer caught their kill and deposited them in a pile not only to stock them up for cooking, but to also respect the point that they did not deserve to be cast. A dark shadowed being flew out the flyers' notice, wielding a long bow of its own. It emitted a shaft that zipped through the air to be followed by a scream from the group. One of the flyer's went falling down to their doom, bringing alarm to the archers around her. The shadow flew away to be noticed by the keen of Cebreus. "Peter has been slain, Peter has been slain!" cried one of the archers. "Group, that couldn't have been any of our arrows, I saw a being below us draped in a dark cloak wielding a bow. He must have shot that arrow. Terrah, you go back to the city and summon the elders, we will to it that the SabreTaul that slew Peter will be punished!" "Peter, he fell and we couldn't save him. Oh no, he's a goner, he's going down to Aeyios," the poor creature sobbed for his childhood friend to be reassured by Cebreus. "It's alright, no arrow has any authority in casting down any being than that of the Flames of Trol'Fein. Now let's go back and warn the others." They walked back to the city to tell the sad news to the people. The elders were infuriated by this lone doing of a cast SabreTaul going on sniping down training archers for no apparent reason. "How could such a being do such a thing. His crimes shall be punished by death!" Elder Jonry (pronounced as Yonrif) exclaimed. "Were you able to retrieve his body? We must have a funeral for him." exclaims another elder. Everyone was raging at this lone criminal and wanted something to be done about him. The elders took up their bows and weaponry and searched all site within the air space but came back finding no results. Ionidus held a meeting with his close authorities and discussed the event that had took place. Cebreus stayed with Teurus, Mei, and his students who were mourning in the compound. Cebreus sat in a corner with Mei pondering on the current things that have happened. He thought that he could have saved Peter but when thinking back to the event, he knew he could have not been able to do anything. All of the student were sitting down, thinking of memorializing the days Peter was still there with them. It was a silent moment for the people, no one dared to break the peace...
 * I found an accurate division of years into seasons in comparison to a ferret's average life span giving me a human equivalence of age. But yet instead I would use years in giving these unusual creature a lifespan similar to that of a humans.

Chapter 4 "The Lust"

"I fear the worst father, that this adversary may be a single being out of a vast horde down there that wishes to have their revenge on us. We must do something to keep our people safe." "Cebreus, I have already given orders for every beast to stay indoors and keep away from the boundaries... " "But father, we have to send some more of our fighters to search and investigate on this matter. If this being is trying to draw our attention to himself or an army of his own, we have to find out!" "Son, our people are in danger and I have to try my best keeping them safe and I do not want any more deaths throughout this city. Thus conducting these searches will endanger are warriors." "So you mean that we will let these beings grow in numbers, take arms and slay us all right. If they know that we are doing nothing about them, then for sure they will be happy to raid us!" Ionidus considered the thought, he did not know what was the best thing to do to keep his people safe and deplete the threat. His wise son knew and understood these matters well, but how could he pass on his will during such an occasion of danger among the kingdom. He stayed quiet pondering the best he could do. What if this being was only one being and just wanted fun, sending beings out to be sniped down by one being and finally finding the adversary while already receiving 7 slain as a payment for finding that being. Cebreus left for his room leaving his father there to think of the best and safest possible thing that he could do. He did not want death to occur throughout his kingdom but wanted his people safe; what was the best he could do to provide both of these things... ~	The shadowed being hid in a small terrace that floated below the Post-Mediation Line and retrieved the arrow from his kill. The last bits of blood dripped from his victim and he began wrapping up the victim for burial. His intentions of killing was unknown, but yet one thing was that he hadn't slain any beast in a long while; it must have been a lust for murder. This creature had been condemned down here for all of his evil doings, hatred was the influence of it all. The people of the high kingdoms learned what to avoid, it was known that it was better to know something that is wrong then to do something wrong without knowing it, but for him, knowing it existed was the reason he did such. Revenge, another thing that followed hatred, something that should be shunned away and not heeded. But what came before hatred, jealousy; coveting the privileges of another. 'Twas in the in the far past that this being committed his first crime against his closest friend. Jealousy, hatred, lust of revenge, then murder, then craze, and more lust of murder, say, a psycho. An obsession of slaying beings must have been his motivation, but where had he come from, could he have been an escapade of some sort of imprisonment, with his first whim being to slay another being since the day he was put into captivity. The creature continued his work, keeping in mind the being that kept him imprisoned. Now that he has quenched his thirst for death, he went back to his second whim of finding this creature that enslaved him since the day he arrived at Lu ElosValen Taerus dan Drokos*. He was going to find that creature and was to slay him. His mind filled with much hatred but nothing he could think of was enough to quench his lust for revenge. The afflicter actually had not done much physical thing to hurt him. He only chained him up and kept him locked in a small confinement keeping him in absolute darkness without food and water, for as long as he could remember. It was the senselessness of this beings doings that drove him on. Being weak without energy, he first wished to find a bird to slay and eat, also being weak and exhausted, when hunting for birds, he found the distant archers and doves no different from each other and took a shot. Thus when catching his kill, he was aware enough to find out that his catch was but a SabreFein. And so he continues doing his work, wrapping up the body with some weeds that he pulled from the ground. Food and water was another thing he lusted for, something that could give him comfort and strength. After burying the body, his strength had drained completely and he felt as if was going to die then; his escape from the painful world, but sadly, his creator hadn't designed him that way; '...slain by blood they must be, not by their own physical distress'. Why had his creator designed him so that he could suffer this way, yet he was not aware of the pains down in Aeyios. He limped as he went on looking for relief on the floating island. Finally, a small deposit of water welcomed him filling him, with joy. the water was fresh and clean, purified through mineral depositing. After taking a long drink to quench his 90 year thirst, he lay back and relaxed his limbs taking deep breaths of relief. Within a while of slumbering, he finally fell into a deep comfortable sleep and dreamed dreams of the good days. Somehow, he was not haunted by his crimes that time. He woke up all refreshed, but his stomach continued to beg for food. All of the vegetation on the island was inedible and he wished not to go waste more of his energy from flying. A flock flew nearby the island, this was his chance to retrieve the food he wanted. He stood by the ledge of the island and loosed an arrow instantly slaying one of the birds. The bird fell right before him and was picked up and fixed onto a spit that the being turned on intervals of the fire. Food, the comfort that pleased the digestive system. After eating his meal, he brought back to mind that the friends of the one he slew would be after him. Now was the time to move on from the place. He filled a makeshift container with fresh water and packed up his belongings then left... ~ The being land down on the Wastelands* in search for his former enslaver. A faint rustle from behind told him something: he was being followed. He treaded onward, making no sound and breathing lightly to prevent any source of wheezing within his nostrils. He looked left and right, not daring to turn his head to reveal his awareness of the enemy. Couldn't those Sabres have forgiven him for his visual mistake? He treaded onward with a beyond-sight wield ready gesture near his dagger. The rustling behind him stopped. He closed his eyes waiting for an arrow to come protruding through his chest as he cried in pain, fell on his knees and died; but nothing happened... He opened his eyes again and continued on, still with his knife at the ready to strike once the adversary confronted him. Perev paused and gestured to his searchers accompanying him. His eyes went narrow and concentrated hard on the figure that walked unaware of them. He was certain that this being was the one who had slain Peter. Hatred of the being burned within him, but he knew better not to take this hatred upon the creature for as hatred leads to evil. Justice was to be served but how could he conduct this in certain knowledge that this being was the one who had murdered was of his own. He gestured on for further movement and continued following the creature. The being continued on, attentive of the foliage and shrubbery, he noticed a shadow pass by a tree overhead. The next moment, a chained obsidian blade protruded through his instantly slaying him. The shadow pulled hard and retrieved the blade concentrating on the creatures following. Perev was the first to see the shadowed being strike, he took out his bow and loosed an arrow at the shadows location but missed. "Ferren, Balur, get down!" Before they could react the shadow swung his blade slitting the necks of the two searchers. By then every beast in the search party was firing arrows into the tree foliage trying to get a shot at the being. As the shadow crept on from tree to tree, two more shadows followed him. The two shadows loosed flint point shafts at their victims killing someone on every strike. Perev knew that his skills were outmatched by these adversaries and ran for his life. He took air and soared up but his afflicters wouldn't let him away without a scar thus an arrow fixed itself in Perev's foot paw as he flew away to bring the news to Ionidus. The shadows proceeded back to the murder scene and their leader stood over the corpse of the unlucky escapee. "Hehe Crovan, you'll never get yur revenge..."
 * 'The Everlasting Land of Darkness' in the speech of the Sabre
 * descriptive word for the first Tier of Darkness. Not actually completely barren but contains some shrubbery, foliage, plants, and dead plants of such. If you dug deep enough, you could get to the Second Tier.

Chapter 5 "The Imprisoner"

Perev landed near the council room and limped to the door and knocked. "Open up, I bring terrible news!", he shouted. A guard peeked around the door and welcomed Perev in. "Come in sir. Sir you are wounded, shall I contact a healer?" "Of course you should! What am I, immune to pain?" Perev entered the council room and was sat on a makeshift cot made out of two chairs lined with pillows. The guard propped up his leg with a cushion and beckoned his wife to tend to the wound. "Perev, what happened?" "Lord, they're all dead, all of them I say. Killed by invisible beings!" "But did you find Peter's killer?" "Yes lord, but they killed him too. and they left me with a wound when I fled," replied as he squinted in pain while Martha dressed his wound. The members chattered among each other of what become of the search group. "Well, who were these beings that slew all of your searchers?" "I don't know. We were slowly following the perpetrator at a steady pace then a flash of black stabbed him through the chest. Two more followed and slew the rest as I flew away." "Now what are we going to do now that there's a new threat in this land. Ever since that SabreTaul slew Peter, we've been gaining nothing but trouble!" exclaimed one of the elders. "We shouldn't have care for a group of killers that could have only slain the group because they were trespassing. Surely they were only keeping their land untouched. If we leave them alone, they would have no reason to rise and slay us all. Thus we shall leave these beings alone and put away our fears. Now let us prepare for my son's ceremony and may we start planning for his feast!" The council shouted their approval and were exited for day that Cebreus' will would be appointed to him. Planning began behind the awareness of Cebreus himself and menus were organized for the great feast. That day was to be the greatest day in Cebreus' life and Cebreus was be the greatest ruler of all, plus the next day, Cebreus and his beloved Mei would be proclaimed husband and wife. Ionidus felt proud of his son and wanted to make of him the best being that ever lived, a wise councilor to his people that would soon be his, and an honored warrior among the many generations of the High Terraces. His line would be known to the many that would succeed him and all would rejoice at his sight, his gracious deeds and acts for his kingdom, the most loved of his people. All beings of the Wastelands would cower at his name in fear of his wrath and ferocity against the cast beings who had accepted evil. The beings, high and low would respect him greatly and his authority would be great among the people. ~	The SabreTaul, Marvick, proceeded to his hidden fortress with his 'BluddWhipp' coiled around his shoulder. He found Crovan many years ago and placed him in confinement for 'pondering'. Now he was dead, he had erased the being from his confined creatures. Being slightly crazy, he thought to himself that leaving cast beings to ponder their lives within confinement would help them to be ready to face their fate within the Wastelands. He had a tiny problem with his thinking, but every other function within his brain was tuned perfectly. There was something wrong with the way he would think things out which caused some of the rather unusual opinions he had of mental health when being cast down to 'Taerus Drokos'. But he was fierce and skilled with the whip and the throwing knife in which he made a combination of the two. A fine, sharpened obsidian blade was attached to a vine and would swung like a whip, cutting or stabbing the opponent with the flailing blade. He loved his blade and used it in all matters of combat. The fort was a hidden tunnel passageway containing chambers for different purposes; most of which were places of confinement for those he found. He somehow had the capability to think out how long a being had been living within the Wastelands and would only confine beings that had just arrived. Pleadings of release were emitted from behind the gates that held the poor beings imprisoned in the demented being's lair. He did not care how much they screamed, he just keeps them their and simply forgets when to let them out. His thinking methods made him believe that this place was the best way to treat the new arrivals to the Wastelands and even his bodyguards knew that his opinion made no sense but they feared the wrath of their master. To him, an empty cell didn't always mean a prisoner had gone loose or had been released by his own recalling of memory such as, 'Oh, I remember now, I've kept you here for 80 years already, you should be alright to go now,' to go to the worst case; but it rather meant that there was more space for a new prisoner. His bodyguards yet had a personal pity for their master and literally were not only beings his personal guards, but his 'legal aids' in helping him think out certain situations he could not put together; in which most of the confined would have wished they aided him on his first decision. Also, if any of the searchers had survived, he would have counted them as newcomers and would have imprisoned them anyways. His bodyguards knew that his disability was quite serious. But somehow, maybe his thoughts had a true meaning for as being mentally disabled, he may have been trying to make sure that no being would go through his slow process of breaking down, but his method was completely wrong. Marvick walked through the tunnel fortress, careless of all the screaming coming from his flanks and continued his way to his chamber. "Senedin, go and ask the 'Seekers if they had found any newcomers lately. Plus, keep sure those prisoners stay quiet; just give 'em a threat or two. I can't stand wakin' up all night." "Aye, lord." Marvick sat himself on a hand-craft chair and drank from a small, clay cup of tea one of his servants had prepared for him; he was still intelligent enough to make himself a convenient schedule to make sure that his tea was where he wanted at the right time and was still hot. He sipped some tea from his cup and began planning for the next day: 'Who goes where, where will they search, how many are going to go on each search, when will they return,' and all that. Images from the past began to come back to him and some of which bore him down to a pitiful bow. His father who had cared for him well, but yet rebellion would lead to the day of his banishment. A tear dripped from his left eye in remembrance of that age. His father had feared that the ruler of the city would have him banished for his corruption and protested against the event of his son's casting. Because his father shouted against his ruler's decree, he was slain in sight of his son causing him to strike those who had slain his father. By then, he had been cast down to the land, left to slowly perish physically and mentally. Light from the fireplace trickled upon his face and a tear fell into his cup. He placed the cup down on the table, sighed, and lay himself down on his bed and slept... ~	Not a dove was in sight during the next morning. The withered trees cast a dim shadow that stretched out its arm to open the heavy door which kept all residents of the cave within. The door seemed to magically open by itself as the creature made its way out. Faladorn paced outside into the gloomy morning atmosphere and hefted his spear over his shoulder and looked around. The natural cloud cover of above concealed the Eternal Cauldron* shadowed the barren ground below. He proceeded his way to Atreius' Garden carrying a basket in his other paw for his duty was to get some plants from Atreius and bring them back to the larders of the hidden fortress. Atreius was an old female SabreTaul who carried a knife with her to protect her small farm with. In her young life, she had toiled her way to finding the seeds of many different edible plants and planted them within a well-worked patch of fertile soil. The plants grew well and she would eat the food produced by the plants with her own diet of doves encouraging her to set up her abode within the garden. Hungry beast who had missed the fine taste of fresh vegetation would come to her garden to trade for some of the plant that she grew, thus Marvick had found this place to be a nice source for the vitamins that he had lacked for the many days he had lived there. Faladorn came upon view of the farm and sighted the old creature who was watering her plants with such admirable care. The garden was her beloved place of comfort among the Wastelands and she would do her best to keep it lively so she had used her many skills in gardening to tend it. She took sight of the familiar being and rose up calling to him, "Haye, Falder'n, what have ye brought for me now, eh?" "Seven doves and a new knife crafted by Marvick for 20 apples, and 15 pears." Faladorn placed the items before the old gardener and cued by Atreius' nod of approval, he helped himself to the fruit of the old and prosperous trees. Atreius carefully counted each item within his basket and gave a second nod to let him go on with his pickings. Before he had picked up the basket, she took out a bad apple from the collection and replaced it with a good one she had picked up before and smiled at him. Although old, Faladorn had been charmed by the beast's ability to be so kind and loving within this land of sorrow. Her story was long and old and no one had known where she had come from; for if she had been cast down there or was bred within the Wastelands having her parents slain by some being, she should be much bitter of her life but somehow she had put these hates away and lived a kindly life within her abode. Faladorn waved goodbye to her with his spear and left with a trickle of happiness inside him. He felt lucky to have this job as his duty. ~ "Well, how did she like my knife?" "Ja, she loved it. So should this be enough?" "Aye, ask Metra to bake us some pie with the apples yew brought. And we ken have her press the pears into a nice cordial." The morning was spent well and most work had been accomplished within the compound. Two night time searchers arrived from their patrol carrying a poor being from the Mediation Tier between them. They lay the beast on a the tunnel floor and watched Marvick as he examined the being. "Hmm, where did ya' get him?" "We saw him falling down, a ball of fire screamin' as his wings burnt off him. 'Looks like he fell from Taerus Sara. So...?" "Does he carry any equipment of some sort eh?" "Nope, just his cloak." "Alright, put him in..." The empty chamber's door was open and they bolted it shut with the being in it. At the other side of the door was an inscription saying: 'WHY ARE YOU HERE? WHAT ARE YOU TO DO HERE? YOU ARE TO ABIDE HERE AND YOU ARE TO BRING TO YOURSELF THE THOUGHTS YOU HAD WHEN YOU FIRST CAME DOWN HERE. DO NOT PROTEST AGAINST YOUR CONFINEMENT SO YOU MAY NOT SUFFER AS I SUFFERED.' The creature woke up and read the inscription carefully then lay back and sighed irately at what he had got himself into. All he remembered was that he was falling from his beloved home and eventually landed upon the ground, stunned. And now he is here in what he could call an asylum being certain that nothing was wrong with himself. A bowl of water and a small loaf of bread lay by the door side for him to eat. He was not sure how long he had been out and what time of the day it was, but he was grateful for the food. After he ate up he rations, he sat down waiting as if his confiner was to come and give him something to do while in this prison, but no one came. Now he was frustrated; what was the point of him staying in this place. He had no problems with himself, he done nothing that could be known by his captor, and he was not strange in any way. He decided that he would not cooperate with this person's doings and was certain that he would try to make his way out of the place. He silently proceeded to the door and found the small key hole which revealed a small portion of the locks mechanism. He searched the floors of the imprisonment and found what he needed: a small spike which he assumed was used against the unruly. He proceeded back to the lock and began picking away at the lock, trying to crack the lock. The spike picked at the inner mechanism of the lock but no result came but the aching of his paws. He shook his paw off to relieve the pain and rested for a while with his back to the door. What - what was that, a smell coming from the edges of the door and the hole in the lock; the fresh heartwarming aroma of apple pie. Mmm, the tasty dessert which he had once enjoyed in his childhood being right at the other side of the door that kept him inside his confinement; how so he longed for a taste of that fine, fresh dessert that he loves most. He shunned the thought away since he was certain he was not going to get some. He read the metal plaque once again and thought to himself, how could prison keep him from suffering the way his captor did; it seemed that his captor must have been enjoying his life in his enclave. Or maybe, these neat inscriptions could have been painfully scrawled in by the former resident of this place. He shudder at the thought of the pain this creature could have gone through. Another idea came to him, so he reread the words on the plaque: 'WHY AM I HERE? WHAT AM I TO DO HERE? I AM TO ABIDE HERE AND I AM TO BRING TO MYSELF THE THOUGHTS I HAD WHEN I FIRST CAME DOWN HERE. I MUST NOT PROTEST AGAINST MY CONFINEMENT SO THAT I MAY NOT SUFFER AS YOU SUFFERED.' The thought saddened him. He for sure was never going to escape that place. The poor beast cried until the aroma of apple pie went away and he fell asleep...
 * The Eternal Cauldron was a massive flame that represented the sun in this world. It was thought to be burning within the Fifth Tier of Light.