chapter 1

in progress

Hiku was a quiet and small lithe man with piercing green eyes and long hair the color of a lilac bush in bloom. He was often mistaken for a woman by those who did not know him well, but he was far from it. Despite his size, he was fierce with a blade and a master archer. He was the supposed son of a wealthy merchant but had not been home in years. He found he was most at peace when on the road, traveling from town to town, doing odd jobs and living off the forests and free lands to the north that no kingdom laid claim to….

 

Hiku sharpened his longtime friend, humming a soft lullaby as he did so. Something he had always remembered but never where he had heard it before. The night was dark and cool, the fire in front of him gave welcome light as he ran the sharp blade against a stone. Stars in the sky glimmered like faint candle light, and the golden moon was ripe and full. It all seemed like a peaceful night. Yet there was something in the back of his mind that made him stop sharpening his sword. He looked up and tried to peer out in the clearing, past the soft light of the fire but only saw dark shadows trees and brush. It had to be just a paranoid feeling, yet Hiku knew better. His instincts saved him before many times, and he knew when he ignored them bad things would happen. His ears pricked, closed his eyes and focused his thoughts beyond the fire. What could he hear, that his eyes would not let him see? Besides the soft crackle of the flames, and the faintest night breeze and the rustle of the leaves he could not discern any other sound. As if all the animal life had held in their voices and movement in anticipation. He opened his eyes and stood up, the blade held idly in his left hand, searching further with his eyes, slowly. Patience, he thought. Wait for whatever it is to come to me. Nothing. For a long time he stood, until the flames began to die and became nothing but hot embers, the silence became near unbearably imposing. Than faster than he could follow something leaped forward, growling loudly. He barely managed to bring up his sword in time to stop the beast’s vicious claws from ripping out his neck as he was knocked over by the sheer weight of the monster.

“Die, die, DIE!” Shrieked the beast as it tried to push my blade into my neck, dark wet blood dripped on my face as it pushed cutting into its own clawed paws. It took all my strength to keep the blade an inch away from my throat, and even then it felt like a pitiable position, as with each moment my arms began to shake. Then finally as I struggled with the beast there was an opening and I took it. I kicked the beast enough for me to roll away missing its attack, springing up with the blade in my hands. I gripped the hilt tight waited for another attack. Nothing but silence and darkness greeted me. I swore, looking back and forth franticly. What the hell-Suddenly I could hear its loud growl from behind me. I swung the blade blindly in the dark, and nearly let the blade fly from my hands as sharp claws dug into the flesh of my left arm. I let out a cry the same time the beast did. It was a double hit. Again I heard it growl, this time I closed my eyes and let my ears see for me in the deep night. It wasn’t far off; it seemed to be nursing its wound. But soon it was on all fours, padding softly around me, with but a faint growl giving away its position in the night.

“I’m going to kill you Hiku…”

My eyes widened. How would it know my name?!-it leapt at me again from my left side this time. I barely avoided the full force of the dive, but for a shallow scratch at my chest, and rolled to the side dug my blade into the thick hide of the beast. It shrieked piercingly, the word no over and over as it thrashed, lashing out with its claws catching at my clothes and at my legs, bloodying them. I pushed the blade deeper with all my weight and strength grunting, wincing as the claws dug into flesh, and twisted the blade inside it. It fell limp and never moved again. I stood shaking, gasping still my hands on the hilt of the blade, my heart beating madly. I nearly collapsed on the spot as my leather boots were now soaked in the blood puddle that grew around them. It was hard to tell in the dark what it was, it looked large enough to be a bear. But bears don’t talk nor have as wicked claws as it did. And surely a bear wouldn’t know my name. What the hell was it? Could…it be something is after me? Or was it some fluke and this freak of nature knew how to read minds?

I can’t stay out here, I thought my heart still beating fast from the adrenaline. Perhaps…it was a Jakl that I had heard about a week or two ago in a town under the mountains. I had been in a pub, small but tidy, sipping a bit of mead that tasted like murky swamp water and had overheard some of the locals talk about sightings of beasts. Not only killing off the livestock but also men and women alike. Vicious and dark creatures that haunted the woods in the dead of night, but…At the time I had thought nothing of it as a tall tale that was told to those half drunk. But this thing, was dark, vicious and had nearly killed me…No, it couldn’t be? Perhaps just some freak of nature is what it had to be. But just because I thought that, didn’t mean I was going to wait around for another one like it to appear. With some effort I freed my sword from deep inside of the monster and wiped it off in the grass. Then I rummaged through my pack not far from where the fire had been, and pulled out bits of linen I kept for such occasions and the slightly withered herbs that kept wounds from getting infected. I put them in my mouth chewed and rubbed them against my arm at first, flinching as it stung madly before wrapping some linen around the wound tightly, before moving to my legs, chewing on my bottom lip to keep from groaning in pain. I sat not far from the dead beast in the dark grass, the blade a few inches from my hand, my heart beginning to slow down. It was just as I had found a bit of peace that I heard the distinct sound of low growls. I reached for my sword and barely had time to grab it before my hand was nearly bitten off. I rolled and stood, shaking. I did not have to see in the still dark night to know I was surrounded. I glanced towards my belongings then around me franticly as I could feel them close in, snarling. The first one to come at me was from behind, and seconds after one came to my front. I ducked and I heard a loud thud as the two collided giving me just the smallest of an opening. I ran as fast as I could, barely missing the beasts left snapping at my heels. I ran as fast as my trembling legs could carry me, stumbling over twigs, underbrush and thick roots but still managed to keep my balance, the monsters getting closer and closer with each stumble. Claws raked out and reached my back and tore through my leather vest in deep into my flesh. I cried out but did not stop. I was losing breath and it had seemed like eons that I had been running when I slammed into a tree. I bounced from the tree backwards to the ground, but it gave way seconds after I fell on it, falling down, down, deep into the earth. Soon, I was dead to the world as I hit the floor far below me.

Running again, fast as lightning as dark shadows chased close behind. The eerie and bloodcurdling howls and snarls filled my mind to the brim till he knew nothing but fear. Than faster than eyes could follow the beasts were knocked out one by one, by golden glowing arrows. Yet even though the beasts were soon dead I could not stop running. Until someone stood in my path, catching me as I ran into the figure. Warmth filled me, as did comfort and peace. “Hiku…Hiku wake up...” The being glowing brilliantly began to fade as did all around. Darkness, lingering heat…

 

Drip, drop, drip…cool droplets of earthy water fell on Hiku’s cheek, slowly wakening him, his eyes slowly fluttering open. The dream fading away as his eyes opened fully. For a moment Hiku wondered why he was lying in the dirt when the nightmarish moments came rushing all at once clearly. My sword, where is it?? Hiku looked all around him in the dark and saw a faint glimmer in the corner of his eye. Hiku went to stand but collapsed with a few steps. He slammed his fist into the wet earth when the thought came to him. Where am i? Where….are the monsters from before? Hiku had seen none in his search for the sword, nor had he heard any snarling, growling or pawing. Then he remembered. Hiku looked up and saw a very faint dot of light above. It was a long way up, near impossible to climb even in top condition, and he knew that he was far from it at present. Covered in gashes and perhaps a broken leg from the fall, He gulped as he still peered upward. How could I have possibly survived such a fall without dying? Hiku shook his head, strands of hair straying into his face from the tight pony tail he had tied in the light of the fire above ground before setting his task to sharpen his sword. Hiku glanced around him apprehensively in case the monsters had hid themselves in the dim light but there was nothing but the sure outline of his sword, rubble, rock and water. Finally when he decided for sure he was alone in the underground cavern he began to drag himself towards his sword painfully before grasping the well-worn hilt and pulled the blade close to his body. After gathering some of his will Hiku drove the blade into the crumbled stone ground and used it to lean on, slowly pulling himself up. With a huff he went to investigate an escape route. The hole leading to the top was still as far away as it had been when he first looked up, after a while of searching the walls for something he collapsed in the center and let out a loud huff. From the looks of it, this well carved out bowl of a cavern had no exists or entries other from above to his eyes, and groping hands. As he leaned back, resting his hands behind him, his left hand hit against a jutted cold sharp stone, digging deep into his flesh. At once he winced and pulled his hand back, drops of his blood falling into the creviced damp ground. Within moments there was a bright flash of light and heat. Hiku covered his face until the light dimmed. He peeked with one eye, than uncovered his face and looked around him. The stone walls were now covered with shimmering veins that glimmered gold, silver, blue and red all at the same time. What was all this, Hiku thought turning his head each way, blinking several times. Magic? Before he could even think of what to feel about the sudden lights, the ground began to shake violently shaking Hiku back and forth until there was a loud crack and thud behind him. The earth stopped shaking as suddenly as it had started. Hiku turned around and to his disbelief there was a door, wooden with a strangely shaped gold knob. With effort Hiku pulled himself up again with the support of his sword and hobbled towards it cautiously. Moments later he stood in front of the door, looking down towards the knob. What he had not noticed from the distance in the dark cavern was that the knob was not just oddly shaped it was carved sheep or goat that glimmered softly. Carefully he outstretched his towards it, gripping it hesitantly. It was warm and soft to the touch, and not cold as he had suspected it would be. He gulped slightly before turning the knob and opened the door wide.

 

“Have those wretched creatures killed that b*****d yet?”, Said Gabriel as she lounged on the throne of Jaemm, picking at her teeth. Her servant, Jared a tall oaf with impossible girth of a small elephant, bowed his head, shaking.

“I’m afraid not my Queen, they say he disappeared into the ground, and could no longer pick up his scent.”

Gabriel, combed her long black hair with her long fingers and glimmering nails before she glared intensely at Jared with her bright green eyes as if to set him aflame by the gesture.

“Then have those damned things burned, cut up and feed them to the hounds.” She growled waving her elegant hand at him.

“And have that Necromancer I give ten pieces of gold a day create something intelligent this time to kill that b*****d Nephew of mine. “

Jared bowed deeply. “Yes my Lady”

“Hurry to it why don’t you?” she snapped.

Jared flinched, bowed again and hurried away as fast as his beefy legs would carry him. The queen watched Jared leave in slight antipathy, before standing up from her throne and paced down the stairs, the long green lace, velvet and silk dress flowing behind her like a green river. She walked slowly down the near empty halls that used to be filled with gossiping voices and laughs, before she had come into rein. She had all the ones who gossiped about her, killed instantly, and the ones left fled for their pathetic lives into the country, becoming no better than peasants to stay away from the Queen. She preferred it quiet anyways, but she wished for some company of a sort. Someone beautiful as me, she thought, someone who isn’t a complete moron or as laughable about the Necromancer who couldn’t create something with the IQ higher than that of a child. The world’s best Necromancer my a*s, she thought. She stopped suddenly as she passed by a hallway mirror to look at her reflection. She was tall, pale with red lips, a soft chin, high cheek bones, and a thin waist with a full bosom that nearly fell out from the corset with each of her movements. Pleased with looking at herself a while, soaking in her own beauty she broke away from the mirror and her thoughts returned to the b*****d nephew of hers. It was only months after she believed she had no other royal blood could challenge her that she learned of the b*****d who could easily do so. The necromancer had come to her to tell her that the sickness he set on Rose had been fatal, but also that Rose had had a child. Had left it in her death to merchants in a neighboring kingdom of Lea. But when she had the creatures sent to the very city they lived in, they had not found the boy. But they had taken care of the family nonetheless, And now to have been so damned close, only for him to disappear again? She dug her nails into the palms of her hands, shaking angrily. She was beginning to believe that she was relying too much on the necromancer, Jared and her servants. It was time to take things into my own hands, she thought grimly. Surely, there was a dark spell book in the Necromancers collection that would give her something interesting. Hurriedly she turned and stalked towards the dungeons where the Necromancer worked. If the next batch of monsters doesn’t do the job, I’ll kill him with my own hands.

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Hiku could not believe his eyes. The room beyond the door was massive, the walls covered in velvet hangings and glimmering crystals. It was filled with many beautiful things, desks, tables, tall statues that seemed too real to be carved, and many other treasures. But there was one that stood out from the rest. A painting, that hung across the room pulled Hiku towards it, so much that Hiku didn’t remembering moving across the room to stand a few feet away from it. It was a portrait, of someone who seemed faintly familiar. His or her hair was long and purple like mine, thought Hiku, with brilliant gold eyes flecked with blue and red, small round chin, high cheekbones and unnaturally long fingers. It seemed as if the person of the portrait was waving at whoever was to look at it, their hand right hand lifted and fingers spread wide. On that palm there was blue crystal imbedded in the hand that seemingly shimmered and shivered as if it were alive. It was more like a living moving eye than a crystal thought Hiku as he stared at the painting, unable to move his eyes from it. Voices began to fill his head, painfully, deafeningly, all calling out to him, speaking to him in a strange lyrical language that pulsed and grew, more and more intense with each moment. Hiku grasped his head, as if it would simply stop the voices