《Dominion in the Cerulean Sky》


 Prologue

    Prologue


    A taste of battle


    The Pack Leader watched the curve of the mountain trail in anticipation, and yet worry was beginning to bubble up in the back of his mind, the lizards were late. Scouts had timed the back and forth of the material runs and the lizards should have passed by with their cargo half an hour ago. The wolf kin would overwhelm the convoy and take their superior weapons before laying waste to the mine in their packs territory. But according to the scouts the lizards deviated little from their schedule and so the Pack Leader was beginning to get nervous. He tried to calm himself, there was no way they could know of the ambush. His people were the greatest hunters, the scouts would not have been spotted and the ambush party was downwind, there was no way they knew.


    His train of thought was interrupted by a shadow above quickly flitting across his vision. In his tense state of mind he quickly raised his head to evaluate the possible threat but lowered it when his subconscious recognized it as one of the many winged reptiles that soared the mountains updrafts.


    Suddenly a terrifying thought blossomed in his mind, born from tension of his present circumstances and his suspicions. Could it be¡­ He once more looked up and quickly realized the winged reptile was indeed circling their position. His revelation brought sadness and despair, they knew all along and there was no way they would let a chance like this go. The strength of his disrupted emotions was picked up the Pack Heart and soon thoughts of escape and urgency flooded the packs connection, but it was too late.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    From their left flank arrows speared into the fur of his beleaguered pack mates while lizard warriors charged them in a pincer movement from the mountain slope behind them armed with iron tipped spears. The numbers of both groups were similar but the lizards had the element of surprise and the terrain advantage. The wolf kin would stand no chance with their stone axes and spears.


    The Pack Leader realized this and desperately tried to lead his pack to safety but the arrows had wounded and slowed many of the pack''s members, he had no choice but to leave some of them behind. Luckily the wolf kin were nimble and fast and it looked like many of them would survive the ambush. But once again a silhouette overshadowed him from above, looking up the last thing he saw was a flurry of wings, a gaping maw of razor sharp teeth and large iron tipped claws descending upon him.


    From the air three wyverns and a score of of smaller ones had descended upon the escaping wolf kin slowing their escape. After the lizard-kin caught up the three wyverns left to hunt down the last escapees. By the end of the day the wolf kin domain had been captured and its influence assimilated. The lizards domain was a little depressed, it had once used the wolf kin and had admired their bonds. But the lizards were its subjects now so it once again refocused on the task of nurturing thelizards.

 Ch 1. The Message

    Chapter 1. The Message


    Whether it was a joke or a coincidence the alien announcement came on the 4th of July 2028 perhaps as a shout out to the alien sci-fi thriller Independence Day. There was a soft buzz of ambient sound as every electronic device capable of sound and connecting to the internet prepared themselves to play the message. At the same time a text version was uploaded to every blog, vlog, social media page and streaming service in the world. The message was tailor made to each recipient in his or her prefered language and also reflected the proper dialect of the region. The message was planned very well.


    The speaker softly coughed before beginning ¡°If you are engaged in an important task focus on the task at hand. Copies of this message will be available later. I repeat focus on the task at hand.¡±


    A short pause.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Your species has met the minimum requirements for induction into interstellar politics. Concerns over possible occupation by alien powers are justified. However invasion by nearby neighbors is improbable due to lack of practical faster than light travel. Moreover habitat technologies lessens the need for habitable planets. However, faster than light communication is possible and a connection to our version of the internet was laid in preparation for this day. Information and advanced technologies are being delivered to your worlds government by an autonomous probe as I speak. Do what you will with the probe but its package is your ticket to ¡®Dominion¡¯. Members of the intergalactic community use it to gain value and settle disputes. Attempts to unlock the packages secrets without the proper actions will be met with a corresponding response. End of message. Good Luck.¡±


    The message sent the planet into an uproar and outcries became even louder when videos began to be posted of a large amorphous craft the size of an aircraft carrier descending from the clouds before landing on the world governments center plaza before proceeding to carefully unload a house sized obsidian looking cube underneath it and power down.


    The event brought great upheaval, even though the governments of the world had united tensions ran high as major governments vied to be the ones to study the alien technology. After two tense months an agreement was reached and a new home for the world government was constructed in the south china sea. In an attempt to strengthen humanity the governments of the world agreed to give more power to the world government and gave it the prerogative to research the alien technology in a more independent fashion. Scientists were recruited from across the globe for this undertaking and humanity looked to the stars like it was a new frontier. But that day that truly came true would come much, much later.

 Ch 2. Annihilation

    Chapter 2. Annihilation


    The soft thump of paws on cold packed earth pervaded the soft quiet of the forest. Winter was beginning to set in and many of the trees had already shed their leaves in preparation for the cold. The footsteps of a two dozen shadows sprinting through the forest were some of the only sounds in the dozing forest. Most of the other animals were inside, away from the early morning chill.


    The runners could not have that luxury, the heat of their weary bodies would have to do. Steam flashed from their muzzles as they exhaled before drawing ragged breaths from the chilled air. They had been running for quite awhile trying to escape their pursuers but the enemy''s responses had been on point and only their natural agility and foresight had saved them from being surrounded and subsequently annihilated.


    Suddenly a tremor ran through the group and the pack abruptly changed direction, pulling away from the left flank in one synchronous movement. The pack was connected to each other through their domain and this ability had allowed them to evade the enemy by implementing instantaneous course corrections whenever an enemy was detected. The pack was spread out and observers on the edge of the formation did not need to take noticeable action to relay information.


    If the enemy had been anyone else the packs mobility and quick reactions would have allowed them to escape from any attempt at surrounding them. However, the elves chasing them were mounted on fleet footed elk. Over sized and with incredible speed and stamina they allowed the elves to traverse the territory ahead of the wolf kin preparing ambushes.


    They had already had to barge through two blockades. The first because they were being lead back into the elves territory and the second because it had become obvious to the pack Alpha that in a roundabout way they were being lead into a trap. The lull in activity afterwards had confirmed his theory but the change in tactics and troop movements worried him. It was like a new leader had stepped onto the battlefield, one whose planning was a step ahead of the previous one.


    He was beginning to regret not breaking through the elven unit to the left. He had a bad feeling he had made a mistake, a subtle clue had evaded him.


    That was it! The left unit was moving slightly towards them yet the ridge they were on was parallel to the pack. What unit would purposely maintain a specific direction when it would be easier to follow the ridge?


    ¡®They must be trying to lead us into another trap. But the action is so direct they must have a pretty good idea of where the pack is. But how? Before the elves just had a general idea due to our clashes with scouting units. Could they be under the control of a domain? Had it entered the fray?¡¯


    The Alpha changed course back towards the left flank but not long after, while the wolf kin were traversing a relatively open part of the forest they were set upon by elves. They came charging out of the forest from the front and right flank on their majestic steeds. The alpha was surprised to see a regal looking elf on a large elk with emerald colored patterns on its hide leading the charge.


    The damn elves had sent an Elite after them! He was flattered they would go to the trouble but the powers elites often held could drastically change the course of the battle. Before the elves never had enough mounted members to run the wolfs down in the woods. The elves had learned that the hard way when the wolf kin had suddenly turned around and used a perfectly choreographed pincer movement to decimate a small detachment following them at the beginning of the conflict. But with an elite the elves had a good shot of taking them out in one go.


    With their steeds the elves could easily engage them on the open ground so the Alpha ordered the pack back to the cover of the dense forest where the charge of the elk would do less damage. But before they could do so the antlers of the elite elk lit up with a dazzling emerald radiance before the light swept out in a wave towards the fleeing wolf kin. Where the light touched grass grew to entangle the paws of the wolf kin and in front of them a web of branches grew to obstruct them. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    The Alpha knew they were done for so he rallied the pack as fast as he could into a cone shape to diffuse the charge. The tactic only had limited success, many of the wolf kin could not get free in time and a dozen were trampled. Moreover the elks themselves were capable of turning on a dime unlike most war horse breeds, you could so far as to call them extremely light cavalry. This did however make them vulnerable to heavy armored units and in fact most armored units would fair well against them. They had no problem facing the wolf kin though as the wolf kin were wearing light leather armor and iron short swords and claws. The elk riders quickly cornered the wolf kin against the branch web and the elves dismounted to engage them.


    The elves underestimated the wolf kin though. While most domains would choose flashy magic attributes to imbue their elites with before mating in an attempt to pass on more of that capability to the next generation the wolf kin domain chose to gradually link the minds of the pack. The result was not only superior cooperation but rudimentary mind magic. In battle the wolf kin could instill pinpoint killing intent onto their enemies destabilizing them and making them vulnerable. At that point it was common for another pack member to use that opening to assist.


    As a result the wolf kin killed far more warriors than the elves expected. The Elite had been sitting back using whip vines to influence the battle but whenever he saved one of his warriors one or two wolf kin would use that lapse of overall awareness to kill a comrades foe in a quick attack. The elite was arrogant and enraged. Instead of making his troops fall back to pepper the group with arrows he dismounted and joined the battle.


    ¡°You idiots. It looks like I have to do everything myself!¡± The Elite announced.


    He was smart enough to use several tendrils to keep any wolf kin back while he focused on one enemy at a time. After three kills his confidence rose and he wadded farther into the melee. Suddenly the five remaining wolf kin moved as one towards the elite. The alpha and two others were in a position to attack but were held back by a thin wall of vines and set upon by the elves behind them. The last two protected the alpha while he tore through the wall and engaged the elite.


    ¡°Why do you struggle against fate. You should just lay down and die at my feet like the dogs you are¡± mocked the Elite.


    ¡°Because we can. Because life is a struggle and the only way to achieve something genuine is by trying¡± The Alpha replied.


    ¡°And look where that has gotten you. Such trashy existences should not be allowed to dream¡± The Elite sneered.


    ¡°You know I admired the strategies you showed this day but now I see you are nothing but an arrogant brat. I think you deserve to see true power¡­ and terror¡± said the Alpha with a cold voice.


    The look the Elite received then chilled him to his core but he couldn¡¯t help but think that part of it was meant for someone else. Could it be?... The being behind him thought.


    Suddenly the Alpha shifted left as a throwing dagger passed him on its way towards the Elite. The last wolf kin falling as the dagger left his hand. The Elite dodged and brought his sword up to defend against the blow he knew was coming. The Alpha was closer than he expected but he still had enough time to parry the blow. A sneer began to form on his face. At that moment the Alpha finally struck.


    The Alpha was the Alpha for a reason, not just because he was slightly bigger and stronger than his pack mates, being Alpha did that to a wolf kin. No, he was Alpha because he had true mind magic, an Elite hiding in plain sight. To the elven Elite the Alpha seemed to explode into a towering monster of darkness and shadow. Frozen in fear and surprise the Elite did not notice the Alpha thrust his claws deep into the Elites eye sockets.


    This was what Zen had been waiting for, the enemy domain would surely be focused on its own Elite and now with a proper connection Zen and the Alpha pushed past the Elites thoughts to the domain beyond. Surprised the elf domain attempted to expel the intruder but was met by the animosity of the pack, the weight of their bonds through the connection pummeled the enemy domain. The baffled domain was also unable to stop Zen¡¯s assimilation of influence and started to flee back to the seat of elven power. Zen had one last thing to say ¡°I am coming back and if your people are as intolerable as they are now I will raze your domain to the ground¡±.


    Zen knew the Alpha would not be able fight his way through the rest of the elves and with the Alphas permission used the rest of the Alpha¡¯s power and what influence he could muster so far from home to overload the connection to the enemy domain. Shocked and frightened the domain was not in a position to protect its subjects. The elves at the home settlement were too far away and to close to the domain to be affected but nevertheless they all heavily flinched in pain as their connection to their domain flared. Those on the hunt for the wolf kin were dropped to their knees while the Elites party got the worst of it. The elk and the warriors keeled over dead with blood running from their nose.


    The Alpha stayed conscious long enough to witness this and closed his eyes with a smile. As the Alpha faded so too did Zen¡¯s influence, Zen stayed with his Alpha until there was nothing but white.


    He stayed there for a bit mourning for his pack. He thought about all the different choices he could have made, how things could have been different. He shook his head, there was no use thinking about that now. Instead he was angry that his pack had to be out here. Exploring was dangerous and they really had no choice in the matter. He had no choice. After finally calming down he decided to leave.


    His vision faded as he disconnected from the system.