《Goblin Flood》


 Chapter one: A Hiding Place

    Chapter one: A Hiding Place


    The horn blows. The sound is rough; almost grotesque. Rows of men cover the land like ants; numerous and weak. They are adorned in shining armor, but no amount of polish can hide the fear on their faces. The sound of thousands of footsteps all in sync bring order. Two armies face each other marching ever closer. The armies look almost identical, only the colors of the flags indicate that blood will be shed today. Just before the armies meet a mighty roar resounds causing the heart to shake. A beast appears. It¡¯s scales so black one cannot tell if they are real; almost like the depths of the Dark Trench. It¡¯s wings spread out as if to turn the morning sky to night. An oppressive atmosphere spreads as it¡¯s body eclipses the sun. In response a pure and clear cry echoes from the opposite direction; piercing the heart and soul. From behind a mountain rises a golden fire in the shape of a bird.


    ¡°JOHN WAKE UP!¡± A voice filled the small room as a young man flew out of his bed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong uncle! Are the fields on fire, is Mary gonna have that calf!¡± John quickly jump up from the floor. He was a young lad just fifteen winters, according to his uncle. An honest look on his face, and a slim but solid frame.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong is that the sun is almost up, and you¡¯re still in your bed.¡± John quickly jumped off the floor, grabbing his clothes as he ran towards the door.


    There were only two people at the breakfast table today, and a good thing to since there wasn¡¯t much room left. John looked down at the gruel and old bread on his plate. ¡°Uncle I think we should have some of the eggs with breakfast.¡±


    ¡°The eggs are for selling John. How many times have I told you that?¡±


    John thought for a moment before responding to the rhetorical question. ¡°Umm, a lot?¡±


    ¡°Then stop asking! Finish your meal and meet me outside for practice.¡±


    John stood outside the small house holding a wooden sword. He faced his uncle who looked like a mountain with a grudge. He was a massive man with a sturdy frame.If it wasn''t for his long white beard he could be mistaken for a man in the prime of life.


    John carefully circled his uncle, looking for an opening. John rushed forward, but immediately jumped back. Sweat poured down his face as he regained his balance. ¡°Hmm, your senses are certainly improving.¡± the average observer would have only noticed the boy moving erratically, but upon closer inspection a small trickle of blood could be seen on his cheek.


    ¡°Uncle how do you move so fast?¡±


    ¡°Haha, years of practice my boy. Now come at me, or should I come at you?¡± The boy lunged forward again; stopping for just an instant as he felt a breeze flow by his face. He continued forward his blade within an inch of his uncle''s neck. John suddenly tried to jump back, but he was tossed to the side by the flat of his uncle''s blade. after flying a fair distance, John rolled a few times before regaining his footing.


    ¡°Well boy you can predict my sword, but you still need to learn how best to deal with each motion. For instance, if you had shifted your sword towards mine you could have forced it up while ducking down. You may have even had a chance to strike afterwards.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°Uncle, even if I know where your sword will go, I can''t move fast enough to react.¡±


    ¡°Boy there are two types of swordsmen in this world. There are those like me who focus on speed and strength, and there are those like your father who hone their skills to incredible heights. Certainly both have their advantages, but generally the latter are better. It is much easier to train in strength and speed. As long as one keeps pushing forward they can generally reach the same level as me, but I never once was able to come close to your father. It is only because so few possess the talent to truly understand the sword, like you and your father, that people like myself exist.¡±


    ¡°But Uncle, I¡¯m not my father. What if I don¡¯t have his talent?¡±


    ¡°Doubting me now are you. I have wielded a sword for a very long time, although I may not have the same ability your father did I can still judge you boy. Now that¡¯s enough whining out of you, let¡¯s see if you have enough time to backtalk while you dodge my sword!¡±


    The sun was high in the sky by the time the Old man was finished with the boy. ¡°Practice your breathing then take care of your chores, we¡¯re going hunting tonight.¡±


    John was instantly elated. ¡°Really!¡± John was really good at hunting, it was one of the few things were he could outdo his uncle. His uncle may be able to move faster than him, but John was far better at tracking and archery.


    ¡°Yes. Now hurry it up John!¡± The breathing technique John''s uncle taught him was fairly simple, and after a short while he felt refreshed and light.


    The farm wasn¡¯t too big so John was able to finish his chores within a few hours. Once he was done he grabbed his bow and headed outside. Though the bow was simple, it was a sturdy set his uncle had given him years ago. ¡°Uncle, will we be heading towards the river, or will we head towards the base of the mountain?¡±


    ¡°We''ll head to the mountain this time. We can pick some of those berries you found.¡±


    John stared into the distance as they began to walk towards the mountain. Their little farm was situated just a little ways from a forest that stretched the entire base of this mountain. This mountain was called the Dark Trench. It was steep going up and stretched as far as the eye could see to the east and west. John had never been to the top, but his uncle had described it to him. Apparently the top was flat and over a mile across. It¡¯s name sake, a crevice that ran through the entire mountain, was right in the middle. It was a few hundred feet across at most points, and went to the depths of the world. Many monsters were known to live in it¡¯s depths.


    ¡°Uncle do you think we might run into some goblins today?¡±


    ¡°Not likely. I spoke to some mercenaries last week; they had just gotten back from the crevice. The army apparently put out a quest for a proper investigation of the population within the third level. The groups that went only found a few stragglers.¡± There is a small path going down into the crevice, carved by the hands of men. This path had several caves going off into the depths. The third level was around three-thousand feet below the surface, and happened to be a known gathering place for goblins.


    ¡°I hope I can go on the next expedition. I would slay thousands of those filthy goblins!¡±


    ¡°Stop dreaming boy. When goblins come they come by the millions. Each soldier would have to kill ten thousand, and that isn¡¯t the only danger. You must also be careful of the elites. If you¡¯re lucky it¡¯ll just be some hobgoblins. If you are unlucky it could be a lich or something even darker. No matter what you can be sure something stronger is pulling the strings during a goblin flood.


    ¡°Why would a lich be leading goblins?¡±


    ¡°Well John, liches are incredible smart and vicious. Since goblins are very simple they are easy to manipulate. It is very normal for a much stronger creature to trick them, and make use of their numbers. Anyways don¡¯t let your young blood rush towards your head. Even the strongest warrior can die in a war. Now let¡¯s pick up the pace.¡±


    ¡°Yes Uncle.¡±

 Chapter two: Memories and Dreams

    Chapter two: Memories and Dreams


    Two figures could barely be seen flying through the woods. The elderly man was so fast, he looked like a shadow as he flashed by. His movements were incredible agile; like a leaf blowing in the wind. John came to a halt almost collapsing. ¡°Uncle!¡± the old man turned around and glanced at the boy, bent over, gasping for breath. ¡°Uncle, I can¡¯t keep up.¡± John¡¯s uncle looked quite calm, like he had been leisurely walking around a garden. Not even a drop of sweat could be seen on his brow, and his face looked rather refreshed.


    ¡°We need to work on your stamina.¡± This mountain of a man paused for a moment deep in thought. ¡°Perhaps we can give the horses a rest this year, and have you pull the plow.¡±


    John instantly shot up. Staring at his uncle, he saw a completely serious face. Fear crept into his heart. Realizing that the noose was slowly tightening around his throat, John took immediate action. Jumping up and sprinting forward, John shouted back to his uncle. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better; last one to the mountain cooks dinner!¡±


    After sprinting through the forest for most of the day, John burst into a clearing at the base of the mountain. The Old man was sitting leisurely around a fire as John collapsed on the ground. ¡°Well boy I¡¯m getting pretty hungry.¡± The old man had a smug smile on as he rubbed his stomach. Still laying on the ground John pulled something out of the sack on his back. Two large rabbits were firmly secured on an arrow. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s not a lot of meat. Where did you find those anyway?¡±


    John Slowly got up dragging his body over to the fire. ¡°With the berries, and some spices I found on the way, It should be enough for tonight.¡± John paused as he pulled the rabbit¡¯s off of the arrow. ¡°I found them about an hour ago. I noticed them under an old oak tree, and since it was obvious I had no chance of catching up, I went ahead and grabbed them.¡±


    John started to skin them as his uncle pulled out an old iron pan, ¡°Your senses always amaze me boy, just like your father. The man never missed anything.¡±


    As John separated the edible parts he felt a slight sting of pain in his chest. ¡°Uncle could you tell me about my parents again?¡±


    The old man suddenly had a distant and lonely look in his eyes. ¡°Sure boy, how bout I tell you the story of how we met?¡±


    John smiled with excitement. ¡°I would like to hear that one again.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°I met your father during a war. I was quite young then, and very inexperienced. Mankind is surrounded by enemies, so wars between men are quite rare, and usually involve very personal matters. I had enough authority to know that this war was targeting a specific family, and that we were suppose to be looking for a specific treasure. The war was pretty much over, and my unit had been sent to hunt down some small groups who were trying to escape. I had ten men with me when we found your father and mother near the border.¡±


    ¡°I could tell your father was dangerous with just a glance, but most of the men had already been captivated by your mother¡¯s beauty. Despite years of training even I had to struggle to take my eyes off her, so captivating was her presence. Although she was both young and beautiful there was something more to her. Something that made it feel like she was not of this world.¡±


    ¡°Your father was standing in front of her with his sword drawn. He wore no armor, and his hold on his sword looked weak. I couldn¡¯t tell where this sense of danger I felt was coming from. One of my men charged before I could warn him. As his corpse fell to the ground I realized what felt so weird. It was the absence of any aura. I had fought countless enemies on the battlefield. I had felt the intent to kill. I had felt the crushing aura of overwhelming strength, but your father had none of this. I could judge most people with a glance, but not your father. I couldn¡¯t feel anything at all. There was a depth to him that I couldn¡¯t see through.¡±


    ¡°I ordered my men to spread out and attack in formation, but it was pointless. With a few light movements all my men were dead, and I was on the ground with a sword pointed at my neck. I stared into his eyes awaiting my death, but it never came. He withdrew his sword and started to leave. I had no idea what was happening, but then he turned around just before he disappeared. He told me to come find him in a certain town; once I was ready to repay my debt. I can still remember the sound of your¡¯ mother giggling as they disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Facing death will change a man, at least the first time. I can honestly say it is thanks to your¡¯ father that I''m as strong as I am now. Now get some sleep, we''ve got some hunting to do in the morning.¡±


    John had heard this story many times, along with several others. These stories were all he had of his parents, and he cherished them like any child would. As they laid down to sleep a quiet whisper could be heard, ¡°Thank you uncle.¡±


    There was a beautiful maiden standing by a waterfall, looking over the edge of a cliff. John could only see her from behind, but his mind was still captivated completely. The light of the cold sun illuminated everything in a shade of blue, as the river began to freeze. The maiden began to sing in some unknown language. Although John could not understand the words, the sorrow hidden within assaulted his heart. John ran towards the maiden, desperate to help her. He tried to call out to her, but no sound could be heard beside the sorrowful song. He had to do something. He ran even faster, but just as he was about to reach her a shrill cry rang out. The noise pierced through his mind, encompassing his whole world. He tried to scream, but nothing could be heard over that piercing sound. John wanted to die, he wanted it to be over, but at the last moment everything changed. John looked up to see his Uncle shaking him awake.

 Chapter three: The danger of dreams

    Chapter Three: The Danger of Dreams


    In a certain kingdom there was a noble house called the Thunderclan. They were named such due to the unique technique they practiced. The Thunderclan focused on speed and sudden power, and once they reached a certain level they would create a massive sound like thunder. The Thunderclan was easily recognized on the battlefield, and became a symbol for their kingdom. When a youth of the Thunderclan partook in their first battle it was customary for the head of the house to bestow a name. Thunder beard lacked talent and ability. When he showed mediocre results in his first battle the head referenced his beard rather than his performance as a means to mock him. The name Thunder beard became the joke of the family, but things would change. At a certain battle Thunderbeard lost, but his opponent showed mercy. This lit a fire within thunder beard¡¯s heart that would lead him to grow at an incredible rate. After years of battle he remembered his debt and set off to pay it. Before he disappeared Thunder beard had become the symbol of the Dives kingdom.


    The old man woke with a start. Years of battle had made him a light sleeper, and something felt off. His eyes instantly moved to his nephew. John was a fairly normal looking boy with brown hair and green eyes, but something had changed. The boy was glowing under the stars his hair had turned white. Two streams of tears had frozen to his face. The old man could feel that the magic in his body was distraught. The old man rushed to his side; ready to intervene if things got worse. Just a moment later there was a shift. The magic within the boy started to disappear as his eyes and mouth shot open. He was gasping for breath as his body started to seize up. The old man didn¡¯t know what to do, so he started to shove his in magic into the boy, hoping that nothing would go wrong, ¡°John wake up! Wake up boy!¡±


    As the purple lightning snaked into the boy¡¯s body he quickly relaxed. John looked up at his uncle in complete bewilderment. ¡°Uncle what happened?¡±


    ¡°Why would you ask me? You wake me up in the middle of the night and have the gall to ask me what¡¯s happening? Think boy! Do you remember anything?¡±


    John looked at his uncle with a blank face for a few moments. ¡°I think it was a dream? There was this very pretty lady singing a sad song, and some monster attacked me.¡±


    The old man had a grave face as he looked at John. ¡°Think carefully, tell me every detail.¡± After thinking about it the fragments slowly flowed back, and John began to recount what he could.


    By now everything had returned to normal as the old man slowly thought over the contents of the boys dream. ¡°Hmm, did this dream feel like a memory, or something you are going to do?¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°It felt real. Like I was actually there and could reach her. It felt like right now.¡±


    ¡°Can you remember what she looked like, were there any landmarks, or can you remember any details about the screech at the end?¡±


    ¡°She was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.¡±


    ¡°I know that you dolt! You¡¯ve seen maybe a dozen women, and most of them were fat old house wives! I want details; her hair color, height, or any distinguishing features she might have had!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry uncle. I can¡¯t remember any details, it was all so fast and still seems fuzzy.¡±


    ¡°What about the thing that attacked you, or the surroundings?! You have to have something!¡±


    ¡°I never saw what attacked me. There was a waterfall, and a vast forest with massive trees. Oh wait! There was one tree that looked really big, almost like the mountains looked from home. It was very far away, but it really stood out.¡±


    The old man stopped and thought before he slowly asked the next question. ¡°What about the sky?¡±


    ¡°The blue sun was out, about the middle of the sky, I think.¡±


    ¡°The elf lands should be in the middle of winter now, and the vitae river has a waterfall with a view of the elder tree.¡± John had been taught about such places, but he had never seen them. According to his uncle the elves were a peaceful race that lived close to nature. Some people said they were immortal, but John''s uncle knew a bit more. He said that elves didn''t age, but would eventually return to nature, although he didn''t know what returning to nature meant. They were incredibly beautiful, and were ony of the few races that did not attack the human kingdom. ¡°Listen closely John, I¡¯ve told you before that your dreams are special. Now I must tell you that they are also very dangerous. There are powers in this world that do not wish to be known or seen, so be careful from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yes uncle, but what should I do if I have another dream like this one?¡±


    ¡°I don''t really know, I''m not really knowledgeable about this stuff. Maybe try running away? Regardless you need to be careful. Now let''s get ready, we¡¯ve got some animals to hunt. I''m looking forward to some good meat for supper!¡±


    John looked at his uncle helplessly. How do you run from a dream? He could definitely feel the danger that he was just in, but had no way to escape. Without that zap from his uncle he was certain he would already be dead. Unable to find a solution Jon put the matter to rest as he got ready for the day. Although it was still dark these two were use to an early morning. John prepared some tea along with berries for their breakfast. After a light meal the two went their separate ways to see what they could find.

 Chapter Four: Hunting Shadows

    Chapter Four: Hunting Shadows


    The morning sun was just peaking over the horizon as John crept along the forest floor. He had decided to aim for a deer today. They were relatively easy to catch, and had a fair amount of tasty meat. Most hunters would check the surroundings for tracks, but John had no need for this. From the time he was young he realized that he had a very powerful sixth sense. His uncle had told him that this was in his blood, and should be trusted. As John walked he would simply go the way that felt right to him.


    After an hour of walking John found a buck grazing in a grove. This buck was very large with a giant rack that had over twenty points. John pulled back his arrow, and just as the buck looked up the arrow flew.


    It didn¡¯t take John long to clean the deer and dress the meat, since he had quite a bit of experience. John would have normally headed back to camp at this point, but something wasn¡¯t right. John was certain something was wrong from the moment he left camp. This feeling had only grown worse as the day went on. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, but John made a decision. After he stored away as much of the meat as he could comfortably carry he hung the rest, and continued further.


    John was less than a hundred feet from the mountain as he slowly crept towards the east. He had traveled some distance before he hid himself in the shadow of a tree. As John glanced around he noticed a person walking in the woods. They were tall and thin. The air about them was cold and quite. John had to glance twice to make sure that he actually saw them, their presence was so weak. This person was wearing a cloak, so he couldn¡¯t see their face; but John got a sinister feeling.


    John was certain that they were using some kind of magic to hide their presence. If not for his own ability he was certain that this shadow could have walked right past him without drawing the slightest attention. John trusted his instincts, and his instincts told him that this was an enemy. John pulled back his arrow, and just as this person turned his head the arrow flew.


    The arrow grazed past the targets head as he moved with incredible speed. The hood was ripped off to reveal a face as dark as midnight, pointy ears, and bone white hair. As John stared into those pitch black eyes he recalled his uncle¡¯s lessons.


    ¡°According to legend there once was a group of elves that thought the center of the world was the center of life. They wanted this power, and entered the depths to retrieve it. As they went deeper and deeper the depths changed them. The dark elves came to be. Some say this race is closer to the dwarves. There are even some who say they are not elves, but an offshoot of goblins blessed by a dark God. regardless of their origin they hardly leave the darkest depths. They are masters of the dark arts, the shadows, and death. They speak an ancient tongue that freezes the heart, and kill anyone they come across.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    John didn¡¯t have time to contemplate further. The dark elf pulled out a black dagger as he rushed forward. John pulled back another arrow as he started to move back. The dark elf seemed to sway as he ran, but that didn¡¯t matter to John. If he couldn¡¯t hit this dark elf with the element of surprise then how could he now? Just before John released the arrow he forced some magic from the tip of his fingers to the back of the arrow; forming a certain symbol just below the surface. As John let go the dark elf was less than ten feet away. He sensed the flow of magic, but it was so small he dismissed it. The dark elf shifted to his right, intending to let the arrow pass as he made his final leap, killing this annoying runt.


    A bright light exploded in front of the dark elf, burning his eyes. The fiend hissed as he tried to skewer the child in front of him. He heard a clang as he felt his blade hit metal; then a searing pain exploded in his shoulder. A curse escaped the dark elf¡¯s mouth as he jumped back. The words caused John to shiver as he leapt forward in pursuit. The dark elf relied mainly on its hearing and smell in the depths, and was quickly adapting to the searing pain. John knew he didn¡¯t have much time; his opponent was faster and stronger.


    The dark elf moved faster and faster as John dodged with less and less room. This opponent was definitely slower than John''s uncle, but still much faster than John. John knew time was his enemy, the longer this battle continued the more likely it was that John would make a mistake.


    John had trained for years with his uncle. He had even handled a group of bandits once, but this was the first time he had really faced death. John''s heart was beating so hard, and every second felt like a day. He had to take a chance if he wanted to live.


    Amongst the warriors of the dark elves there was a special group called shadows. They dealt in covert operations, and were well known for killing their opponents silently.


    This shadow was amazed. He thought a single strike would end things, but this child had the skills of an expert. No matter how fast he moved the child dodged with minimal effort. The shadow had tried countless combinations and tricks, yet the boys blade always found the most opportune moment to deflect his blows. Shadows were not trained for prolonged or direct combat. A seed of doubt appeared within his heart, but then the boy began to slow down. Cuts started to appear as red blood trickled out. The shadow began to smile. The boy suddenly stumbled. A blade charged towards his heart.


    The moment had come. John shifted his body, taking a blade to his shoulder. The dark elf saw the boy move at the last second, and felt the short sword sink into his gut.


    Relief washed over John, but then he felt the wind forced out of his lungs. The dark elf had punched him in the gut with enough force to send him flying. John watched as the dark elf pulled out the sword, and spoke some strange words; stopping the blood that had started to pour out.


    John watched as his death walked towards him. He didn''t have the energy to get back up. The dark elf had a furious look as he brandished the sword. The same sword he had pulled from his own gut. Just as he was about to swing the sword down the dark elf¡¯s face changed to one of fright. He dropped the sword and ran the other way. John was bewildered for a moment before he recognized a familiar presence.


    John watched as the dark elf¡¯s head flew off in midstep. A sound of thunder was heard a moment later as John¡¯s uncle looked down on the corpse.

 Chapter Five: "Yes Uncle"

    Chapter five: ¡°Yes Uncle¡±


    ¡°Blast it John! If you know trouble is coming then avoid it!¡± The old man berated the boy as he rubbed ointment on his wounds. John quietly sat as he practiced his breathing, attempting to speed the healing process. Although the wound on his shoulder would take some time, the others would almost be gone by the end of the day.


    The old man finished wrapping John¡¯s shoulder before he went to examine the dark elf¡¯s corpse. As he searched the body John¡¯s uncle removed everything of value, but wasn¡¯t finding anything that might hint at the shadows original purpose. The old man was quite worried. For a dark elf to be on the surface, something massive must have happened below. It was at the end of the search that he found it, embedded in the dark elf¡¯s chest. It was a small black skull only the size of a thumb, but radiating a heinous magic.


    The old man¡¯s face turned dark as he looked back at his nephew. ¡°John can you run?¡±


    ¡°Probably, but not too fast, or too long.¡± although his wounds were feeling much better John was still far from peak condition.


    ¡°Head home as quickly as you can.¡±


    John felt a little puzzled, but he could feel the serious air around his uncle. ¡°Ok uncle, I¡¯ll start running.¡± John may have been injured, but years of training coupled with a proper breathing technique gave him a superb physique. John turned away from the mountain and began to jog. John¡¯s uncle cut off the dark elf¡¯s ear, and removed the small skull from his chest. He put both inside a small sack, before he turned to follow his nephew.


    Four dark elves stood in a clearing as the sun began to set. Amongst shadows there were no names, only ranks assigned for each mission. There was a particularly lean shadow who stood out from the rest. He reached towards the totem in his chest and felt the flow of magic, but could not find what he sought. ¡°Shadows three and four go find shadow two.¡± The cold language of the dark elves caused the air to shudder.


    ¡°It will be done.¡± The two shadows whispered in unison, before disappearing into the night. Although shadows where skilled in stealth this mission was too important, so they intended to wait for the dark of night, when non could find them. The first shadow had sent his second in command to survey the area, and make sure that there was no one around. That had been several hours ago; too long for a elf of his skill.


    The first shadow slowly mused, (I can¡¯t feel his totem so he must be dead, but it would have only taken an instant to call for help. To kill him so fast, perhaps I should contact the master.) There was an unusual vibration of magic from the totem. He reached down and touched the totem infusing it with magic. The first shadow tried to understand what had happened. Something was off, and the magic was too chaotic. Suddenly everything began to move around him. His mind filled with bewilderment before he heard a clap of thunder, and his head hit the ground.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    John¡¯s uncle had followed him until the boy¡¯s safety was certain. Thunder beard turned back towards the mountain. He had to investigate further. After spending sometime looking around the mountain, thunder beard was prepared to search the first few levels of the crevice. Although there was quite some area to cover his technique did focus on speed. He was confident he could finish in little more than a day, but just before the old man took off he felt something from his bag. He quickly reached in and covered the small black skull in a layer of crackling magic. Someone was reaching out to it. A thought occurred to the old man. Maybe this artifact could be used. A oddly sinister smile appeared on a very old face. Once the artifact calmed down Thunder beard began to infuse just an ounce of magic into the skull. He felt it for only an instance, but that was long enough. He disappeared from the clearing, leaving only a clap of thunder.


    It only took a moment for the old man to find his first targets. He had only been able to feel the general direction, and normally would have missed the first two. Fortunately they attacked the old man when he slowed down to check the area. Two swings of his sword, and the skull began to react again. The old man smiled once again, infusing a good lump of his own magic into the the skull. He felt the other end, and moved by instinct. Thunder beard had severed two more heads before he had even seen his opponents. When those of the Thunder clan moved at their top speed everything blurred, so the blade techniques of the Thunderclan relied on preset movements. Thunder beard harvested what he could before moving on.


    Thunder beard had reached the third level of the crevice. The main pathways were practically deserted. The groups sent by the kingdom had done a fair job. Thunder beard found a fairly low point in the caves and sat down. As he closed his eyes a faint purple energy began to crackle. The Thunder clans techniques mainly focused on offensive techniques, but after several centuries they had developed a couple of non combative techniques. This particular method allowed them to sense the extremely small sums of lightning within living things. This technique had many restrictions. It was useless in a forest abundant with life, could not discern the difference between targets of similar size, and required too much focus for battle. Fortunately it was well suited for this situation.


    Sweat appeared on the old man¡¯s brow as he spread his attention to its very limit. After several minutes of searching he finally found something. A spark only a couple hundred feet further down. He spread out from there, and a curse left his mouth. ¡°Mother of thunder be damned!¡± To his senses it felt like a sea of lightning. Most of them were the size of goblins, but there were also giants mixed in. A dark shadow suddenly appeared in the room where Thunder beard had just been sitting, but he was nowhere to be seen.


    A streak of lightning seemed to pass through the forest, stopping by a tree almost half way through. ¡°That was close. Such a dark and overwhelming power. it seems this peaceful dream is coming to an end.


    John had spent less than a day to reach the mountain, but the way home took him almost two. Luckily his injuries were almost gone. As he came up to the small farm John found the house burned down and his uncle waiting with their two horses laden with everything of value. ¡°Hop up boy there¡¯s a long journey ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°Yes uncle.¡±

 Chapter Six: The Truth That Severs

    Chapter Six: The Truth That Severs


    John thought about the little house he had grown up in. For over a decade almost every day had been the same. He had woken up every morning before sunrise, eaten a simple breakfast with his uncle, and trained till noon. They would both eat a small lunch, and handle the farm work before sunset. But John''s favorite time of the day was after supper, when his uncle would teach him academics late into the night. John didn''t know where the books came from, but his uncle always had new ones each night.


    John had never been more than a few days journey from that house, and never for more than a week. His uncle had taught him to be practical and adaptable, but this happened so suddenly. John¡¯s chest felt so heavy he felt like a stone at the bottom of a well. When John saw his house burning, it felt like the flames were licking his soul. John realized this part of his life had ended, but it was hard to leave such a comfortable life. John truly loved to read. There were so many interesting things in books, but John didn¡¯t know when he would get a chance to read the books his uncle brought him.


    John was lost deep in his thoughts when his uncle cut in. ¡°It¡¯s about time I explain why we¡¯ve been hiding out here, and how your father died.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve learned the basics of breathing techniques in our lessons. A person breaths the magic in the air, condenses it with the magic in their body, and circulates it, forming various symbols and patterns that strengthen the body. This is common knowledge, but there are different levels and types of breathing techniques. Mages use techniques that focus on enhancing the mind. The technique my family uses was originally meant to turn the body into lightning, but it was never completed. The better techniques are capable of affecting a person''s blood line, making the next generation stronger and more talented in that specific technique. My own is like this, and so was your father¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°One of your¡¯ ancestors was a treasure hunter, and happened upon a book with blank pages. Although it was in the depths of a very ancient and dangerous ruin, the fact that it was blank caused the other members of his party to pass over it. Your ancestor was certain that the book had value, but no matter how hard he studied it he couldn¡¯t figure it out. Your ancestor moved on, got married, and had children. One day he took the book back out while one of his children was sitting on his lap. He still didn¡¯t see anything, but then the child started asking questions about the pictures.¡±


    ¡°Your ancestor spent countless nights with his child trying to understand the book. It was called the book of hidden truths. It was a magic tool meant to understand everything, created by a man with a greed for knowledge. The book was originally only meant to be read by the bloodline of it¡¯s creator, but they had all died. The book wished to be read, but needed someone of a certain character. It had seen what the greed of it¡¯s last owner had done, and did not wish to see the same events again.¡±


    ¡°The book passed on a breathing technique to the child, meant to help him see the truth. Unfortunately his father was too old to make any progress before he died, but the child made quite the name for himself. That is where the problem started.¡±


    ¡°With the success of the family people got suspicious. For a few generations these enemies were fairly easy to deal with, but your grandfather ran into some bad luck. Someone old and powerful took interest. That was what lead to the war where I met your¡¯ father. Through that war a very powerful and dangerous organization caught wind of your families prophetic powers. Your father was far more skilled than his father. Not only did he escape, but he was also able to hide for over a hundred years.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°When I found your father again he didn¡¯t look a day older physically, but the sorrow in his eyes overwhelmed me. Your father was always two steps ahead of his enemy, so he knew when the end was near. He could resign to his own death, but he could not hand over that book. He had learned enough about his enemy, and their plans. I fought along side your father for over a decade after that, preparing for you.¡±


    ¡°Your father brought you home one day. You were only a year or so old. It was then your father explained his final plan. He prepared a grand stage, baiting his opponent with one last chance. Pride clouded their eyes, and they took the bait. Your¡¯ father sacrificed hundreds of people along with himself to activate a massive spell. You should have seen their faces, those evil fellows were so certain of victory. They stood back and watched as their minions fell by the dozens, waiting for the perfect moment. And then when I and your father were on our last leg they swooped in. Those grins on their faces disappeared as they watched your father end his own life. The magic activated and sucked those two nasty fellows in at the same time.¡±


    John watched his uncle intently. Tears were streaming down his cheeks as a slight smile touched his lips.The feelings of sorrow and pride from this tale had completely engulfed John¡¯s feeling of loss from before. ¡°What did the spell do?¡±


    ¡°To be honest I don¡¯t fully understand, but it was meant to hide you. I was the only one to walk away from that battlefield. I took the book and some other items, and left to find you. You had been left at a nearby village. You were only a year old then. I am to never mention your¡¯ father¡¯s name, his clan¡¯s name, your true name, or the name of that wretched organization. I have to wait till the right time to give you the book, and I must part ways with you shortly thereafter.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what!¡± John was caught off guard again. The only family he had ever known was going to leave. This old man had always been by his side.


    ¡°Soon you will have to decide your¡¯ own path.¡±


    The sun had long set as the two approached a small grove to the side of the road. As John¡¯s uncle jumped off his horse he grabbed a sack that was strapped to the side. From within the sack he grabbed a small book. John took the small book as the previous words still echoed in his mind.


    ¡°Make sure to keep this book secure at all times.¡± John was still in a daze as his uncle pulled two other items from his sack. ¡°These clothes were your father¡¯s. They are made from a rare leather, making them incredibly strong and flexible. They may be a little big, but you should grow into them. This sword is called the dagger of lies. It is a good sword with some form of magic within.¡±


    ¡°Why is it called a dagger when it is clearly a short sword?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t name it, I only know that me and your father went through a lot of trouble to retrieve it.¡±


    John took the leather and the sword before he looked up at his uncle. ¡°Must you really leave?¡±


    ¡°Yes I must. Do not mention anything I said to anyone, and be cautious. War is coming soon. You should head to the capital, and join the army. With your abilities you should be able to safely make a name for yourself. Now the time to talk is over, prepare some of that deer you caught. We should enjoy what time we have left.¡±


    The firelight flickered as two men quietly ate. Once they finished they both lied down, their hearts as heavy as stones. A couple of hours later Thunder beard stood up, and took one last look at this boy who was like his own flesh and blood. A tear trickled down his face as he whispered, ¡°I will miss you John.¡± The old man quietly disappeared into the night as a tear trickled down the face of the young boy. ¡°Goodbye uncle.¡±

 Chapter Seven: A Deal With The King

    Chapter Seven: A Deal With The King


    The Murus kingdom was truly unique. Their fields were sparse, and there were no abundant resources to mine. They were at the edge of the realm of men, and lacked any major trade hubs. Monster attacks were quite normal in this kingdom, and destruction was rampant. In spite of all this it was one of the wealthiest kingdoms. The murus kingdom was a wall for the realm of men, Protecting everyone from the monsters who crawled out of the underworld. The surrounding kingdoms were keen to keep this wall in good repair, and so they readily financed this defense.


    On a certain hill, under a certain tree sat a lonely old man. He was a mountain of a man, but today he seemed quite small and frail like a withered tree. Thunder beard had lived for over two hundred winters. He had held fame, respect, and riches, but dying men care little for these. He had grown sentimental in his old age. When his wife died he had little left to live for, but then he remember a debt. Little did he know that paying this debt would lead him to enjoy life again.


    Thunder beard had run for an entire day. Thanks to his ridiculous speed this had brought him more than halfway to the capital. Unfortunately this speed came with a price, and The old man had to recuperate. After meditating for some time, sparks began to leap from his body. The old man got up. ¡°There isn¡¯t much time.¡±


    John got up just before dawn, and prepared a meal like always. He checked the rope between the horses before he hopped up and started his journey. The capital was about two weeks journey from the forest. This distance was very deliberate; not too far and not too close. It would give the kingdom time to mount a proper defense in case of a goblin flood. John¡¯s mind was befuddled, but he still heard the words of his uncle. Although the nations of men would bicker, they would never go to war with each other. There were too many enemies eyeing them from the side, so mankind needed to be ready to show a united front at any moment. The dwarves to the east were known for their tempers, but war was rarely profitable. The mermaids to the west were too cautious for war. They would pillage some ships, but nothing too large scale. The dragons from the north were too proud. Unless provoked they would not move. The elves stayed in their forest on the other side of the dark trench. Only the dark forces would bring war. Those who worshipped death and destruction, or those who despised life.


    John knew he didn¡¯t have much time. If he pushed the horses he might be able to make the journey in a week, and that is what John planned to do. John was a skilled rider, so he took out the book. He had been trying to understand his families breathing technique for most of the morning. It was very complex. By what John could gather there were four steps to this method. The first set of symbols were aimed at changing the nature of the magic within the body. John was able to make it about halfway through this first set, and the rest still seemed like gibberish. John started to wonder who he would spar with from now on. He shook his head as he renewed his determination.


    The sun was almost setting as a weary figure entered the gates of the capital of the murus kingdom. Old Thunder beard had made the journey in just a few days. He had drained almost every ounce of energy within him. His eyelids tried to shut as he forced his body forward.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Jackson was a young guard, and he had worked hard to earn a post at the king¡¯s gate. His armor shined a brilliant orange in the setting sun, like an angel garbed for battle. Jackson looked off down the street as he imagined the glory he would someday gain in battle. ¡°Stop your¡¯ daydreaming boy.¡± Jackson¡¯s jubilant expression instantly turned to a frown when he heard this voice.


    ¡°No need to worry you bag of bones. I¡¯m payin attention.¡± The old man Phillip shook his head. He wasn¡¯t old quite yet, but he¡¯d been on two expeditions to the dark trench. He had seen many cocky, young recruits die, and he hoped his new coworker would not be one of them.


    ¡°Halt! Who goes there.¡± Jackson brandished his spear as someone approached the gate. This is the gate to castle! Filth like you should keep your distance!¡± At a glance this intruder appeared quite haggard, but Philip¡¯s face began to turn pale.


    He quickly jumped forward, grabbing Jackson¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You idiot! Put that thing away!¡± Philip bowed in respect. ¡°Honorable warrior, what business can we help you with.¡± Jackson face turned red almost matching the brilliance of his armor. He couldn¡¯t believe the words Philip had spoken. Although this fellow was big, but his appearance was that of a peasant. Jackson had always thought that Philip was a coward, and he was about to reprimand him just as the stranger threw something on the ground.


    ¡°I have news from the dark trench. Tell the king that an old friend brings bad tidings.¡±


    Jackson looked down, but he couldn¡¯t see what was on the ground. He almost started laughing, thinking that this crazy man had asked for an audience with the king. Jackson heart was quickly sunk with a gasp from his fellow guard.


    ¡°A dark elf¡¯s ear! Jackson go tell the captain immediately!¡± despite his attitude Jackson was a soldier, so with shame and humiliation in his heart he ran to get the captain.


    ¡°I wish to speak to him alone.¡± The throne room quickly emptied with the command of the king. King Richard was a large man though not as big s Thunder beard. His hair was black as night, and his eyes matched the blue of the sky. The king stood up from his throne and walked before thunder beard. The king wrapped his arms around this old man as he laughed. ¡°My old friend does it truly take such bad news for us to meet.¡±


    Thunder beard looked the king in the eye. ¡°Little iron I must thank you for hiding me all these years.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why those fellows were after you, but I certainly owed at least this much. Now enough of old times, give me the bad news.¡±


    ¡°I found a group of five dark elves, shadows, by the dark trench. This was almost a week ago, and they had these on them.¡±


    Thunder beard handed over five small, black skulls. The king carefully examined the skulls as his hands slightly shook and fear appeared in his eyes. ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡±


    ¡°It is. Do not speak their name. I have seen them before.¡±


    ¡°Is there any chance that they came for you?¡± The king seemed desperate for a strand of hope.


    ¡°No. It was the boy who found one of them scouting around. I watched the fight, and the shadow tried to kill him as quickly as possible. If they were searching for me, they would also be looking for a boy his age. That is not all. I searched the crevice. There was a massive cavern filled with various creatures a couple hundred feet below the third level. There had to be close to a million goblins. You need to prepare for a goblin flood.¡± The king had begun to pace while thunder beard was talking, shortly after he finished the king sat back down on his throne.


    The king looked at his old friend. ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°I would like to make a deal with you.¡±

 Chapter eight: The Nameless Intruder

    Chapter eight: The Nameless Intruder


    Far beneath the surface, in a place where the sun had never reached, was a very dark and lonely room. Within this room stood two people. On one side was a beautiful young maiden, wearing a pure white robe. Her skin against the robe looked like the sparkling moon against freshly fallen snow. Despite the darkness she glowed with an otherworldly light. Her eye¡¯s and hair matched her clothes, leading others to believe she was blind, but she still stared hatefully at the person before her. The other person was dressed in black. His skin was almost as pale as the girls, but lacked her soft beauty. He was completely bald, with sunken eyes that made him look more like a corpse. The most disturbing part was the color of his eyes. As if to compete with the girl his eyes were completely black. A normal person would feel lost when looking into the eyes of either individual, but they were two very different kinds of lost.


    The old man¡¯s voice sounded like two rocks grating together. ¡°Who was he, where is he, how did he find you, and how did he get through the barrier?¡± The young girl looked back defiantly as the old man waved his hand over a pedestal in the middle of the room. After a moment black symbols began to spread across the maidens skin from chains that were wrapped around her wrists.


    She struggled for a few seconds before a scream left her mouth, and then words started tumbling out. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know!¡± The old man felt quite confused. This spell formation was specifically designed for this girl. It could forcibly activate her innate talent, and force her to truthfully answer any question.


    After thinking for moment he waved his hand over the pedestal once more. ¡°Explain what you do know.¡±


    The girl struggled once again before giving out. ¡°I was dreaming that I was in my cell desperately calling out for help, but then I was suddenly over looking my home. I felt the pull of my powers and began to sing as it willed. I did not see the boy until your¡¯ spell formation intervened, and then I awoke. I have tried to learn about the boy, but when I try to search him out I get nothing. It is as if he never existed. It seems he doesn¡¯t have a name.¡±


    The man in the black robe waved his hand over the pedestal once more before he left the room. A slight smile touched his lips as he listened to the screams of a young maiden.


    So close and yet so far. The organization suffered a major loss to find that artifact, and yet it had slipped through their fingers. Just when they found it the owner had activated a massive spell formation. The spell was extremely strange, directly affecting fate. Most of the information on the artifact had disappeared. Names, places, and various information had been directly forgotten. If not for some unique methods they possessed they have forgotten about the matter all together. They thought the artifact was lost forever, destroyed by the last owner. A boy with the ability to sneak through their barriers, and hide from their oracle. It wasn¡¯t a guarantee, but it was a sliver of hope.


    (Elder.) A voice echoed within the mind of the black robed man, interrupting his chain of thought.


    This elder stopped walking as he held up a ring on his hand. This ring had a black skull on it. He channeled some magic into it. (What is it?)


    (We have not been able to contact the shadows whom you sent to the capital of Murus. It has already been five days, I fear something has gone amiss.)Stolen novel; please report.


    The elders body seemed to radiate a dark energy which quickly flowed into the ring. (Five days? Why am I just hearing about this!)


    A voice filled with agony could be heard on the other side. (I am sorry elder. Shadows prefer to work in silence. Since I am still uncertain if anything is wrong I did not wish to disturb your work.)


    The elder quickly used his ring to search for the totems of those five shadows. After several minutes of searching he could just barely feel them. He could only feel them for a moment before they were once again cut off. (You imbecile! Not only are they dead, but the killer has almost reached the capital! Finish the preparations for battle. I will be back in three days, and if my army is not ready I will personally dissect your¡¯ mind!)


    (Yy..yess elder.)


    The elder was in a very bad mood as he walked into the council room. The room was far more ornate than the previous cell. It was round with a curved ceiling several stories high. The walls and ceiling were made from a black granite while the floor was a shiny black wood. The room was lit by a chandelier high above. The silver metal looked like a blade, and the green eerie fire seemed cold. There were many paintings on the walls, everyone depicting a different person in a black robe with a hood covering their face. Within stood a dozen people all wearing black robes. One of them stepped forward, apparently taking charge. ¡°Twelfth elder how kind of you to join us. Although we are still missing some members there is much work to be done, so if you could explain why you called an emergency meeting quickly, I would appreciate it.¡±


    The twelfth elder bowed with a humble look on his face. ¡°Third elder as you know there was a disturbance in the spell formation that holds the oracle. As the closest elder I was called back to investigate, and what I found could be very important.¡±


    ¡°Oh and what might that be?¡±


    ¡°Apparently a young boy somehow connected to our oracles power and entered her dream, bypassing our barriers completely. Even with the use of the oracle I cannot determine the identity or wherabouts of this intruder. The oracle said that it was like the boy had never existed. The only similar case to this one I can think is the one surrounding that artifact from fifteen years ago.¡±


    A new individual suddenly appeared right before the twelfth elder, and pressed a bony hand to his forward. Beads of sweat ran down the twelfth elders face as he held back a scream. He fell to the ground as soon as the new figure had let go. The third elder immediately bowed reverently. ¡°Greetings first elder. What do you wish for us to do?¡±


    Everyone bowed their heads and waited for the words of this mysterious figure. ¡°Spread the word we are searching for a boy, about fifteen winters old. He will be hiding, his history will be unknown, and he will be very lucky. I do not care if you must bring every lad in the realm of men before me, do not let it get away again! Ne Fati!¡±


    ¡°Yes, first elder! Ne Fati!¡± They all shouted in unison before disappearing, Besides the twelfth elder the rest had been communicating through an illusion. The first elder looked down at the twelfth.


    ¡°It seems that despite the removal of the unicorn, her magic is still protecting the realm of men.¡± The first elder remained silent while he thought. The twelfth elder was finally able to stand back up when the first elder once again looked him in the eye. ¡°I believe we can use this. I have a plan I need you to execute.¡±


    John had been riding for almost three days straight. He could now see the capital in the distance. He stopped by a steam to freshen up. John had a preference for staying clean, so riding for three days had left him feeling particularly defiled. After washing off the layers of filth that had accumulated, John started to look through the book once more. He had finally succeeded with the first step of the breathing technique, but the transformation of magical energy would take time. Since he had to wait on the breathing technique he had decided to search for something else. Although his uncle had said that his name could not be spoken, did that mean that he couldn¡¯t read it? He had been trying to ask the book for sometime, but it only came up with gibberish. ¡°Come on, what¡¯s my name?¡±

 Chapter nine: The Last Song

    Chapter nine: The Last Song


    The capital of Murus was a massive fortress shaped similarly to a thin eye. It¡¯s design was made specifically to block monsters coming from the dark crevice, so it ran east to west, just like the dark crevice. Twenty miles long, and about six miles wide. From each side of the city a smaller wall continued into the distance. The outer wall of the city was around a three hundred feet tall, and was made from massive white stones. John couldn¡¯t help but stare at the humongous structure. He didn¡¯t know much about architecture, but the magic on the outer wall caused John to suspect that it was dwarven construction.


    As John passed the checkpoint into the city he was assaulted by a wave of new senses. His uncle had trained him to pay attention to every detail, but he was quickly overwhelmed in this new environment. The smell of a dozen different foods, filth, and people entered his nose. He could hardly hear his own thoughts over the noise. THe worst part was that everyone was bunched up together. If he was attacked in such close quarters it would be hard to defend himself. Fortunately his sixth sense was a bit more stable, allowing him to avoid several pickpockets. John¡¯s uncle had obviously warned him about cities and the natural corruption, but he was still amazed by the despicable feeling he felt around so many people.


    John quickly walked towards the castle. He knew that the army recruitment would be close to the gates. The second wall that surrounded the castle was about half as tall as the outer wall, but was far more magnificent. Although the stones seemed to be the same material they had a gleam similar to metal, and the magic within seemed to give off a righteous presence. John walked with confidence without having the slightest idea where his destination really was. Just off the main road and right next to the castle wall, John found the main barracks. The army had several buildings along with a fair sized training ground. It was surrounded by a normal stone wall about ten feet tall, and had a recruitment office right out front.


    Murus was a military focused kingdom. As such every man had to join the army by the time they had reached twenty winters, and had to spend at least four winters serving. After leaving they would still need to take part in a training drill every few years. In short every able bodied man in the Murus kingdom was a trained soldier. John got in line with a group of young men, and buried his head back in his book.


    The old recruiter had a very simple job, he simply had to ask a few questions and send the recruits to one of the different training areas. For instance he would ask them how good they were with a horse or a bow, and then he might send them to train with the cavalry or archers. From time to time he might ask someone to show their skills if he had some doubts. Today he was quite surprised though. The young boy who walked up was clean and neat. He didn¡¯t have the nice clothes of a noble, nor their overbearing manner, but the way he walked left no openings. Only a noble¡¯s son could receive this level of training.


    ¡°Hello sir, I would like to join the army.¡±


    The recruiter felt like he didn¡¯t have time to deal with this young noble. ¡°Boy I don¡¯t care which house you hail from you can¡¯t mess around here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, but I have no family or house left. I¡¯ve been living with my uncle near the dark trench for several years, and now he his gone.¡± This army recruiter recognized the agony in this youth¡¯s eyes. A feeling of guilt spread out from his gut.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°I see, I presume your uncle taught you quite well. What¡¯s your name, and what skills do you excel at.¡±


    ¡° It¡¯s John sir. I can ride a horse fairly well, and can fight with a variety of weapons. My skill with a sword or daggers are a bit better, but I really excel at hunting. I can track incredibly well, and hit a moving target up to a mile away.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve learned some martial skills with the bow?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir, my uncle taught me several martial skills with the bow, sword, hand to hand, and even some support skills¡±


    The old man sighed, this boy no doubt had a tragic background. The Murus kingdom had some luck since he had appeared here.


    ¡°Follow me, the rest of you wait patiently I¡¯ve got some business to handle. I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡± There were a few grunts of complaint, but they quieted down after a bit. The recruiter turned around and walked towards a wooded area.


    Shortly after entering the wooded area they came to a small clearing where a group of thirty some youth¡¯s were sparring. Watching over them was a fairly normal looking man with just a slight touch of gray in his hair. His armor was some what more ornate than the average knights, but still remained practical. As the old recruiter came over he was about to call out when the average looking instructor spoke first. ¡°Your¡¯ name is John correct?¡± John was surprised for a moment. without even turning around this man had somehow recognized him, but then he realized that this must have something to do with his uncle.


    ¡°Yes sir, my name is John.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Van thank you for bringing John over, now return to your post.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir, right away sir.¡± The old recruiter was quick to leave John with this intimidating instructor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard high praise for you John, but you¡¯ll still need to prove yourself today. Henry! Come over here and give our new recruit a warm welcome!¡±


    Henry was a large boy over six feet tall. He wore full armor and was using two battle axes. A grin spread across his face as a dark glint flashed in his eyes. John sigh as he walked forward drawing his sword.


    Thunder beard looked over the troops before him. There was just under a thousand of them, and most of them were not far from death. All these mens were veterans they had fought on countless battlefields, raised children, and seen multiple generations be born. Although there death was near they still carried a fierce aura about them. These were soldiers, they had lived through battle and they would die through battle. They were ready to face death, and they were determined to die a meaningful death.


    They stood just a few miles outside the capital of murus. Just a little ways off from them were several oddly shaped ships covered in magic symbols. Giant birds could be seen surrounding the boats, and quite a few mages stood around as well.


    The sun was about to rise as a voice thundered out. ¡°Today you go forth for your last campaign! You will swing your sword for the last time! Death shall claim you, but death shall not claim victory! The people of Murus, the ones you love, will be protected by your sacrifice! Death may claim us, but it will not claim them! The men standing around you may just be soldiers, but they are more trustworthy than any saint! I would rather sacrifice myself with you today, than live a thousand years in a king¡¯s palace! Today we fear no man, monster, or even death itself! Let us show those beast what men can do when they give their all!¡± Thunder beard raised his hand as a burning fury flashed in his eyes. ¡°Let us go forth! For Murus! For Mankind! And For Our Own!¡± As thunder beard slammed his fist down a boom sounded out that shook these men to their cores. The excitement was visible on their faces as they shouted out in unison. ¡°FOR MURUS! FOR MANKIND! AND FOR OUR OWN!¡±


    Those ships lifted off in the light of a new sun to sing the last song, of men whose names are already forgotten.

 Chapter ten: Doom in the Library

    Chapter ten: Doom in the Library


    An axe flew bye as John sidestepped. John had been sparring with Henry for about twenty minutes, and had a thorough understanding of his skills. The instructor had to shake his head as he watched the battle unfolding. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how two children could be so different.


    John kept his breathing steady, dodging within an inch of each strike. Henry was going all out swinging his dual axes with every ounce of strength he could muster. To the untrained eye it would look like Henry help the advantage as John rarely ever attacked, but the truth was far different. In just twenty minutes Henry had burned through most of his stamina, and still had not landed a single hit. Although John had only attacked a few times, It was always a decisive and direct hit. The difference in skill was too big. Henry had always prided himself in his battle technique, and was smart enough to realize that he was outmatched. But he couldn¡¯t lose here, his pride as a noble wouldn¡¯t allow that.


    Henry suddenly stopped moving, taking a deep breath before he slowly started to move both axes. John instantly recognized the glow on the axes as a martial art. This surprised John since it was very unusual for a young person to use a martial art in battle. Martial arts were actually very similar to magic spells. For a spell, magic had to be formed into specific symbols, and then directed by the will of the caster. A martial art also formed magic into symbols, but it did so in the body. The biggest challenge came with the fact that the body was moving. Because the martial art was created to be used with specific movements, if an individual did not follow the movements perfectly then the connections between the symbols would not be right. Best case scenario is that the martial art ends up being very weak; worst case the spell might backfire. Not only were most martial arts too complex for an inexperienced fighter, but they were also far too draining. The amount of mana needed caused most skilled combats to keep these techniques as a final trump card. Only when one needed to preserve their life, or the situation happened to be perfect, would a warrior pull out his martial art.


    Henry started to move his axes faster and faster as he neared John. John backed up as he analyzed the martial art. By what he could tell this was a type of charge technique. Speeding up the movement of the blades as the combatant moved forward. More than likely it also sharpened the edge of the blades, making this martial art more like a moving meat grinder. As Henry¡¯s speed started to increase John dove to the side, intending to throw off Henry¡¯s martial art with a switch in direction. Surprisingly Henry was able to adjust, but it obviously had taken him quite a bit of effort. Although John¡¯s initial plan had failed he didn¡¯t stop moving. Within his left hand was a small stone he had picked up when he was getting up from his dive. Henry¡¯s martial art slowed for an instant as he adjusted his direction. That small rock flew directly at Henry¡¯s nose, releasing a bright light, just as he was focusing on his movements.


    A moment¡¯s distraction was all it took. Henry¡¯s face contorted in pain as the flash entered his eyes, and the rock hit him in the nose. The magic symbols he had been forming throughout his body, failed to properly connect. Henry collapsed as the magic in his body ran rampant. His legs felt cold while his arms felt like they were on fire, and the ringing in his head filled his entire consciousness. He struggled to pull himself up, but before he could get his feet underneath him the feeling of a cold sword pressed against his throat.


    ¡°HENRY! What have I told you about using martial arts! You can barely perform them, let alone use them in battle! Head to the infirmary, by the looks of you it¡¯ll be a week in bed! Enjoy it while you can, when you get back I¡¯m gonna beat the stupid out of you!¡± The Instructor had a fire in his eyes as he looked down at Henry. John was surprised at the speed with which the instructor had moved. John could still follow the movements of this instructor, but he was definitely faster than that dark elf.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    As Henry struggled to stand his pain filled faced became a shade paler, hearing of his own impending doom. He gritted his teeth as he responded to his instructor¡¯s command. ¡°Yes Sir.¡± John felt a bit of sympathy as he watched his former opponent limp off. He had faced the same situation under his uncle¡¯s training before.


    ¡°As for you, don¡¯t get full of yourself! You have some ability I¡¯ll admit, but Henry is just a kid.¡± John really wanted to retort with the fact that he was also a kid, but thought that might cause him to join Henry in his impending doom. ¡°Although you¡¯ve received some training you still have a long ways to go. You obviously don¡¯t need the beginners course, so once you¡¯ve gone over the battle strategies and protocol I¡¯ll assign you to a unit to do the rest of your¡¯ training. If you head over that way you¡¯ll find the barracks for this lot. You should be able to find the books, so go study them. I¡¯ll be by tonight to see how you¡¯ve progressed. Now get moving!¡±


    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± John immediately started running with a smile on his face. Books! John was so excited. He didn¡¯t think he would get the chance to read once he joined the army. After a minute of running he found a fairly large building shaped like a (U). This building was nicknamed the noble¡¯s suite by the normal soldiers. It was It was divided into three parts. The left side was for the boys, the right side was for the girls, and the middle was the common area. peasant girl¡¯s were not allowed in the army, but noble girl¡¯s were required to spend at least two years in service. Noble women were all taught magic to a certain extent, and at least half of the militaries mages were noble women. The other half were commoner men from the city¡¯s academy.


    When John entered the main hall he could hear the voice of a female instructor off towards the right. Since he didn¡¯t know exactly where to go John decided to ask for directions. John followed the voice to a small room with just under thirty girls, listening intently to an instructor. As John came into the room he immediately garnered the attention of the instructor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are you lost?¡± The instructor was a woman in her prime. Her skin was slightly tan, and flawless. Her brown hair was just a bit curvy, and went down to her waist. She wore a long, fiery red robe, that allowed one to notice the curve of her body. Her green eyes seemed to pierce right through him as he began to stammer.


    ¡°Yyes, I-I¡¯m looking for some books.¡± This instructor wasn¡¯t as pretty as the women from his dream, but the second most beautiful women you¡¯ve ever seen is still a sight to behold. As John¡¯s face was turning red he noticed the almost thirty pairs of eyes that turned to look at him. John couldn¡¯t look a single one of them in the eye, everyone of them seemed gorgeous. Was every girl in the city this beautiful? John was beginning to realize what his uncle had meant just a few days before. He truly had no standard to compare beautiful women to.


    The instructor glanced at a student towards the back. ¡°Martha, If you would please.¡±


    ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am.¡± Martha quickly got up and walked past John. ¡°Please follow me.¡± Martha looked to be about the same age as John. With brown eyes that matched her hair. Her robe was similar to the instructors, but more of a crimson red. John quietly followed her down the hallway. After a short distance Martha stopped in front of a door. ¡°This is the library. All the books should be in here.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± John had just gotten his voice under control when Martha got up close to him. She was just a couple inches away, staring into his eyes. John felt his face light on fire once more. Martha started to giggle as she walked off. ¡°A nice change of pace from those big headed lady killers.¡±


    John tried to forget about the smell that lingered around his nose as he entered the library. Lucky his love of books was there to distract him. He almost started to drool as he looked around the room. John had never seen more than a handful of books at a time, and this room had two floors of them. He completely forgot about his original purpose as he grabbed the first book he saw.


    The sun had just started to set as the instructor came into the library. ¡°So have you finished reading over the protocols yet?¡± John was sitting at a table with almost a dozen books in front of him. The instructor saw books ranging from magic theory to geography, but none on the strategies and protocol of the military. John looked up with a confused look on his face. The instructor stared down hard until the flash of understanding passed across John¡¯s face.


    ¡°Oops?¡± That night John had to face his own impending doom.

 Chapter eleven: The Greatest Mystery of Life

    Chapter eleven: The Greatest Mystery of Life


    After a lot of yelling, screaming, and swearing the instructor left John with one sentence. ¡°You better be finished by morning.¡± John swept the sweat from his brow once the door finally shut. With the sun already set John decided to set several light balls into the air. John was quite skilled at this simple light spell. Not only was it practical in normal life, but with some adjustments it was a highly efficient tool in battle. The room looked quite eerie in the white light pouring out of the orbs. John quickly found the two books that he was suppose to study. Two medium sized books titled Battle Strategies of the Murus Kingdom and Protocols of the Murus Military were sitting in front of John as he sat down at the table once more.


    John decided to do a cycle in his new breathing technique before he got started. Once he felt the energy within his body settle back down, he began to study the two books with a ravenous hunger. He was determined to know these books inside and out by the time that instructor returned. John knew that he had to put forth his full effort if he didn¡¯t want to become a punching bag. Thinking of the frightening instructor John started to wonder what his name might be. Would it be something strong like Smith, or maybe something sharp like Acutus? John shook his head, dispelling the thoughts that whirled around like pesky flies.


    Although one night wasn¡¯t much time, John had a talent for study and memorization. Combining this with the knowledge he already possessed in the fields of strategy, it only took him a few hours to thoroughly understand the two books. After that he looked through several other books on strategy, and studied until there was only a couple hours to sunrise.


    John truly loved books, but he understood the meaning of balance. Rather his uncle had beaten it into him. There had been countless nights that John had wanted to read till sunrise, but if the fierce blow from his uncle didn¡¯t knock him unconscious he would be forced to slink off to bed to await his morning training.


    John thought about sleeping, but decided that the instructor, whose name might be Joe, would probably erupt if he came in to such a sight. Because of the years of training in the basic breathing technique John could go almost three days without sleep, and if he supplemented with the breathing technique he could probably go at least a week before he collapsed. John decided to use his last couple of hours to practice his new breathing technique again. After reading a few pages of gibberish from his father¡¯s old book, John started to practice the technique. He could feel the energy in his body slowly changing, but something was different this time. John tried to understand what was happening as his mind grew hazy.


    It was midday as John stood in the middle of a marketplace. He could smell oranges as he saw a middle aged women bargaining with a plump merchant. Several children were running back and forth playing a game of catch. Their giggles sounded like the songs of the birds or the chatter of squirrels. Many people smiled as the children ran around them. John recognized where he was, he had seen this place just this morning. This was the market just inside the gates of the capital of Murus. John closed his eyes as he breathed in the feeling of life and joy flowing around him, but at the end of that breath he smelt a slight twinge of decay. He opened his eyes to see the sky turn dark. Thunder rolled and rain fell as screams began to shriek. John saw the people about him grow thinner. Their faces turned pale as their skin began to peel away. Goblins began to run out of every shadow. Gray little creatures, misshapen, naked, and vicious. Their claws, teeth, and eyes were all black and filled with hungry. John pulled out his sword, trying to hack down as many as possible, but there were too many. The people about him were all devoured as he felt the teeth bite into his legs.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The door creaked as John awoke from his vision. He was drenched in sweat, and his face was pale, almost sickly. The instructor¡¯s eyes squinted at the sight of him, ¡°Are you okay boy?¡±


    ¡°Yes Sir. Just a side effect of my breathing technique.¡± John quickly stood up and bowed to the instructor, who John thought might be called Thadeus.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can escape with such a sorry excuse, now tell me the fifth strategy listed in the book.¡± The instructor, maybe Jack, was quite surprised at John¡¯s understanding of the material, and after a dozen questions he was finally forced to mumble, ¡°Fine. You¡¯re certainly a smart one. Follow me.¡±


    ¡°This is the mess hall. Today you¡¯ll start with some basic training with the new recruits; then you will be sparring with me in the afternoon, so get a good meal.¡± A dangerous glint crossed the instructor¡¯s eyes as he bid John goodbye.John felt a chill go up his spine. He didn¡¯t need a six sense to realise that he was going to get a thorough beating today.


    The mess hall was a fair sized room that could sit a couple hundred people. The food didn¡¯t look too fancy, but it was far better than what John was use to. After he filled his plate he carefully selected a table. ¡°Hello, my name is John. Do you mind if I sit here?¡±


    ¡°You must be new, have a seat. My names Damean. This here is Rut and Charlette. We are nearing the end of our second year, so if you have any questions feel free to ask us.¡±


    After exchanging pleasantries John got straight to the point. ¡°To be honest I grew up near the dark trench, and have no idea what¡¯s going on here.¡±


    Charlette, a eighteen year old girl with red hair, giggled. ¡°The news of the innocent country bumpkin has already spread across the girl¡¯s barracks. That was quite the show you put on in front of miss Reynolds, turning all squeamish under her icy gaze. Don¡¯t worry too much she¡¯s cold to everyone. As far as information goes Damean will be more than happy to tell you everything.¡±


    Rut, a mountain of a man with a very simple look, grunted in agreement. John looked over at Damean who pushed his glasses back up. ¡°Well if you want to start at the beginning, this is the noble¡¯s barracks. It¡¯s reserved for the kid¡¯s of nobles and rich merchants from various kingdoms. The training regime is a bit more customized. Each person starts off in basic training were the instructors decide how much they need to learn before they can join a team. This can take a day or even six months. Once someone joins a team they do specialized training under a specific instructor. Once the team is cleared they will divide the remainder of their four years between doing missions in the city or out of the city. Inside the city it¡¯s mostly patrol, but outside they will end up doing a variety of missions such as subjugations, escorts, rescues, or the occasional patrol. Of course they will still receive training from time to time. The main thing you need to pay attention to around here is relationships. Since most of the other kingdoms are rather peaceful right now, they send their elites here to train. There is always a few royalties around, and you don¡¯t want to offend them.


    John quietly thought of a certain detail, before deciding to ask, ¡°Is martha a royal?¡±


    Charlette spewed her milk all over Rut as she began to laugh. ¡°Yes, and she¡¯s quite interested in you, so be careful. She¡¯s in a rather rebellious phase. Her brother is also here, and he¡¯s been know to be over protective. Your first day and you¡¯re already digging your grave.¡± Rut gave Charlette a dirty look as he began to wipe the milk off of his face.


    John stayed silent for a few moments, ¡°Damean how do you handle women?¡± Rut was once again drenched in milk.

 Chapter twelve: Preparations for War

    Chapter twelve: Preparations for War


    John¡¯s body was racked with pain as he hobbled back into the mess hall. After doing some basic drills he had spent the majority of the day being hit by the nameless instructor. In the name of training the instructor, maybe Linny, had used John as a stress reliever. After a couple hours of getting beaten John made a massive miste. Sir, What¡¯s your¡¯ name?¡± Apparently this question was taboo, because things quickly went downhill. The instructor didn¡¯t answer, but his attacks became far more fierce, and the blows became heavier with each swing. By the time the sun set the pain had soaked into John¡¯s bones, he couldn¡¯t even tell when he was being hit.


    John collapsed next to Damean who was wearing a basic mage robe. ¡°Looks like you had fun today.¡±


    John only moaned in response. The mess hall was practically empty at this time of night, so Damean went and got John some simple food from the kitchen. Some light returned to John¡¯s eyes as he propped himself up and began to eat. ¡°Thanks Damean, I think I hit a nerve with that instructor. Do you know his name?¡±


    ¡°No, no one does, he¡¯s know as the nameless instructor. It¡¯s sort of a game to guess what his name is, my money is on Fred, but no one¡¯s brave enough to actually ask him.¡±


    ¡°Well apparently I¡¯m the bravest person here.¡±


    ¡°Or the stupidest.¡± Damean had a smirk on his face as he continued. ¡°By what I hear though you should be going straight to group training. I saw part of your sparring match, and you are far better than most. Although that may not be a good thing right now.¡± A dark look appeared on Damean¡¯s face as he began to whisper. ¡°They began to evacuate the villages closer the the Dark Trench, a clear sign of trouble. Depending on how bad it gets we may end up seeing some serious action.¡±


    John spent a few seconds thinking before he swallowed. ¡°Damean you¡¯ll probably hear about this soon enough, but everybody is probably gonna see action. I was at the Dark Trench not too long ago, so I happened to find out about it.¡± John thought back to the dream he had seen early this morning. His blood turned cold as he remembered the razor sharp teeth gnawing on burnt bones. ¡°It¡¯s more than just war, a goblin flood.¡±


    Damean¡¯s face turned pale as a look of uncertainty flashed through his eyes. ¡°Are you sure? They did a investigation just a few days ago, and came up with nothing.¡±


    ¡°One hundred percent, and the scariest part is that it almost went unnoticed.¡±


    Damean¡¯s face scrunched up as he thought carefully over what John had said. ¡°Goblin¡¯s aren¡¯t capable of such subterfuge? Do you know who¡¯s manipulating them?¡± At this point the conversation was barely a whisper.


    John shook his head. ¡°No, but we¡¯re starting with the advantage. By the time they get here the defense should be ready.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    After John finished eating Damean introduced him to the manager of the Men¡¯s barracks, who showed John to his room. John was left speechless. His own room? Wasn¡¯t this military training? ¡°I guess money really can buy anything.¡±


    John decided to read from his dad¡¯s book before he went to bed. He still had a ways to go before he could start the second part of the breathing technique, so he quickly found the first blank page. As John stared at the page words slowly began to appear, ¡°Remember not the loss, but what was given. A will of steel is more important than the mightiest sword, but having both would be better. Sorrow and joy go hand in hand. To be able to smile in the face of death is an incredible luck. The stars are uncountable. Blue is blue.¡± John shook his head as the words became complete gibberish. He thought over the first few sentences, trying to discern if they had any actual purpose for him.They sounded deep, but were simply too vague.


    John gave up on the book as he sat on his bed, preparing to practice his breathing technique. John had a flash of hesitation before he suppressed the memory from the morning. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to stay awake this time.¡± Before john knew it, he had drifted off again.


    John saw a baker and his wife sitting down to eat. As the women ate her stomach grew, and she was suddenly holding a baby girl. The baker waived towards his wife and child as he grabbed his sword and walked to the door. The scene changed, John¡¯s uncle stood on top of a mountain of goblin corpses as lightning shot off of his body. More goblins climbed up the pile to be slaughtered. The shadows in the surroundings turned into a giant black robed figure with the stench of death. A smile adorned the old man¡¯s face, showing the joy of a man who had succeeded in life. A tear rolled down one eye as the shadow reached forward. ¡°Goodbye John.¡±


    John¡¯s eyes shot opened as tears flowed out, like a leak that couldn¡¯t be fixed. ¡°Why am I having these dreams?¡±John pulled out his father¡¯s book and firmly asked it this question before opening it. As John opened the book the page was immediately filled with words. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for your¡¯ loss John. Your uncle was a good man who died an honourable death. These dreams are a side effect from the breathing technique. Your¡¯ dreams have always had power, but as the energy in your body shifts you will see more and more vision. These may be random, dealing with the future, past, present, here, or there. As you progress they will tend to have more relevance towards you. Remember them, you never know what might be important.¡±


    John was confused for a minute. The book was actually addressing him? More importantly if what it said was true then that meant his uncle was dead. The words he read before the dream suddenly rang back in his mind, making far more sense. The look on John¡¯s face hardened, as he began the breathing technique once more. A will of steel that wielded the mightiest sword. John was truly all alone now, but it wouldn¡¯t stay that way. John had decided that he wouldn¡¯t lose anyone every again, as another sleepless night began.


    Some place in the Murus kingdom a baker kissed his wife goodbye. ¡°Don¡¯t worry honey. I¡¯ll kill a thousand goblins and be back before the end of the blue sun, so keep the ovens burning while I¡¯m gone.¡±


    ¡°You better be. I won¡¯t forgive you if you take too long. Please take care of my father while. I want you both back.¡± Tears rolled down the face of the mother daughter duo, as their eyes turned red from sorrow.


    ¡°You think this young fella is gonna be protecting me? Don¡¯t you worry Madeline I¡¯ll bring your big and stupid ox back.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll make sure your father doesn¡¯t keel over. I mean who would want to take in their mother in-law right after marriage?¡±


    The older of the two women gave the lad a dirty look. ¡°Enough stalling the both of ya. Ya got a long journey to the capital.¡±


    Madeline watched her husband and father ride off with the rest of the men from the village, just as the morning sun began to rise. She headed in as her stomach began to feel sick.

 Chapter thirteen: The Depth of the Flood

    Chapter thirteen: The Depth of the Flood


    ¡°Headmaster Frederick, the communications array is properly calibrated.¡± Headmaster Frederick looked back at the nervous old man behind him, and wondered why he would be nervous. Although this was a battlefield they would not personally be fighting, they were only there to gather information. Headmaster Frederick recalled the information on this man. Thomas was a mage nearing two-hundred and fifty years old, and had spent two-hundred and ten years as a professor at the academy. The students called him crazy Tom as he was quite eccentric. Although he spent most of his time in a dank laboratory, as a citizen of Murus he had served the military on multiple occasions. Frederick himself was only one-hundred and fifty years old, and had taken over the academy fifty years ago. He had depended on Thomas many times. Knowing the character of this senior of his made the matter even more confusing, but then a connection was made. ¡°Thomas is patrick down there?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Thomas looked like he might break at any moment. His skin was pale and sickly. His eyes were dim and hopeless. The hunch of his shoulders looked particularly lonely today. ¡°Headmaster is there any hope?¡°


    ¡°I am sorry old friend, your¡¯ son willI die today, but it is thanks to him that there is hope. I thank you for the contribution you are making for mankind, and am quite sorry for your¡¯ loss. Although your¡¯ oldest grandson lacked talent in magic, he made up for it with perseverance. He will be missed. I will watch every moment for you, so you can look away old friend.¡±


    There were only a handful of men left on this little ship; that was floating above the Dark Trench. This ship was different from most. Regular ships were made from one-thousand year old trees, and needed giant birds to assist with movement. This was much smaller, and was made from some unusual material. It was soft to the touch, light as a cloud, but stronger than steel. Someone might mistake it for a cloud if it wasn¡¯t for the ancient, silver runes that covered the ship. The ship floated with just a bit of magic energy and could travel a week''s journey in less than a day.


    Frederick looked up at the hodgepodge of arrays that was floating in the middle of the ship. This magic array connected to two different arrays. One was down with the thousand men entering the abyss, this recorded precious information and sent it back towards the ship. The different arrays on the ship would record and analyze the information before sending it to the other array in the capital.


    ¡°Your majesty, is everything working on your end?¡± Frederick bowed as he addressed the image of a man who could be seen through one of the arrays.


    ¡°Yes, are you and your¡¯ men prepared to leave if something goes wrong?¡± The man with a regal air about him showed concern, but not for these men, rather it was for one of the greatest assets of his kingdom.


    ¡°Do not worry my liege, we will not allow the Storm Cloud to fall into the enemy''s hand.¡± Frederick was aware of the value of the ship beneath his feet. He had been part of the group who had excavated it from an ancient ruin. This act was what propelled him to the position of headmaster at such a young age. Even after fifty years of research the ancient ship still held many secrets.


    ¡°Leave the responsibility of naming things to someone who has talent in that field. Though Storm Cloud is far better than Cloud of Doom.¡± The king chuckled at his subordinates weak spot, but Frederick showed no sign of embarrassment. Both men entered into silence as they watched the troops descend further into the Dark Trench.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Thunder Beard stared at the old mage meditating in front of the first level of the trench. At this depth even someone like Thunder Beard, who had incredible senses, could just barely see the sliver of light above their heads. If it wasn¡¯t for some simple spells that were cast by the mages in the group, The vast majority of the group would be blind at this depth. The old mage stood up and looked over at Thunder Beard. ¡°There seems to be a few setting up camp, but the main force hasn¡¯t made it to this level yet.¡±


    Thunder Beard had to give some serious thought to his next step. Thunder Beard had lived a long life, and had picked up some wisdom along the way, but strategy was still pretty hard for him.¡± Okay let¡¯s head to the next level. Our first mission is to gather as much information as possible.¡±


    The second level had about three-hundred thousand goblins within, but Thunder Beard knew that was only the tip of the iceberg. After letting the mages set up a slight surprise they continued down. Because of a combination of the enhanced physique of these soldiers, and the spells of the mages, this group of a thousand men moved quickly and quietly. Despite their stealth they only had so much time. On the trip down several patrols had been met, and dispatched. Once this was noticed the element of surprise would be lost.


    As Thunder Beard came close to the third level of the Dark Trench, he motioned towards two soldiers that were close behind him. These men were dressed in all black, wearing light leather and wielding dark daggers. They blended into the shadows and disappeared. Thunder Beard halted the troops behind him and waited. After twenty minutes one of the assassins reappeared. The guard just changed. We killed them all, but they were a rowdy bunch. I don¡¯t think we have long before someone notices the quite.¡±


    Thunder Beard looked to the mage next to him with a hopeful expression. ¡°Do you have any spells that make goblin like noises?¡±


    ¡°Yes, It¡¯s a darker art, but this is a dark time.¡±


    After rushing to the entrance, Thunder Beard watched as a man, wearing a gray and black robe, drew symbols on the dead goblins. He pulled several pages from a book and lit them on fire with a sickly green flame. Thunder Beard recognized the art of necromancy, he had seen it many times. It was a commonly used art during wartime, but when there was peace it would be hidden away. It seemed to be a unique skill of men, to ignore the wrong that helped them, and persecute anything that did not. The resurrected goblins began to chatter amongst themselves. Thunder Beard looked down at the old mage who had begun to meditate again. ¡°Work quickly, and try and look as deep below as you can.


    Frederick was carefully looking at the information that was going across several of the arrays. The shape of the third level was quickly defined, as the details about the creatures within began to form. The mage who was doing the scanning happened to be using a unique artifact. Many magic tools had been designed by studying it. Frederick had initially been hesitant to use the real thing, but after seeing the black skull he realised how serious this matter was. Normally when a mage used a spell to scan an area, their magic would directly spread out, gather the information, and return. This was a very effective method in normal situations, but when the enemy had mages of their own it was like knocking on their front door. This unique artifact used a form of magic that was very subtle and hard to differentiate from natural magic in the surroundings, allowing a more thorough investigation without alerting their enemies.


    Frederick began to frown. The scan of the third level had just finished, and the enemies army numbered in the millions. There was at least a dozen species present, but the most numerous was the goblins. Both Frederick and the king began to run the numbers. ¡°Your¡¯ majesty we should send for help from the other kingdoms. Although we may have a chance by ourselves I believe it is too risky.¡±


    ¡°You are right I will send the message immedia..¡± The King cut off as he looked at the array in front of him. The fourth level that Thunder Beard had mentioned began to appear. ¡°GET A COMMUNICATION ARRAY SET UP IMMEDIATELY! I AM CALLING A MEETING OF KINGDOMS!¡± Frederick couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. Almost a million more goblins were in that fourth level, and they were mostly hobgoblins. Frederick continued to look through the information, looking to see how many were armed when suddenly the scan was interrupted.


    A dark sinister voice echoed across the array¡°Are you ready?¡±

 Chapter fourteen: The Right Moment

    Chapter fourteen: The Right Moment


    The old mage trembled as he opened his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve been spotted.¡±


    ¡°Everyone forward! I want everyone in the tunnels now!¡± The soldiers moved quickly, years of training keeping them in order. As the last of them entered the cave Thunder Beard looked at the four mages at the end. ¡°Everyone halt! We hold our ground here! You four set off the surprise and seal the tunnel!¡±


    As the four mages, dressed in brown robes, stepped outside the cave; the mouth of the cave began to move. It¡¯s motion was like a whirlpool, spinning slowly at first and closing within moments. There was no more escape. The only questions left were how long could they last, and how many could they kill.


    On the second level of the Dark Trench there was a large hobgoblin. Most people don¡¯t know this, but hobgoblins name themselves. Normal goblins don¡¯t use names, so goblins naturally don¡¯t name their children. Hobgoblins don¡¯t have any differences from normal goblins until after they are a month old; this would be considered full maturity for a normal goblin. After reaching this stage they start to get smarter, and then bigger. With a boost in intelligence the importance of a name usually becomes apparent. This particular goblin had named himself Rock, and the reason was pretty obvious. He was extremely big for a hobgoblin, with massive muscles and a large hammer. Scars covered his body, and his teeth were a brownish color. Every movement felt like a mountain falling from the sky.


    Rock was very proud of himself. He was well known even amongst the hobgoblins for his ruthlessness, and had even gained a position of authority from the master. Rock was in charge of a large scouting party. He was to rush to the closest villages near the Dark Trench with three-hundred thousand gobins. Goblins were most feared for their ability to reproduce, and their hunger. Because of this the humans would normally evacuate the areas near the trench, and burn all the fields. Rock was suppose to get there before the humans had a chance to destroy the spoils of war. Of course Rock didn¡¯t really understand most of what the master told him, he had never even seen a human before, but he understood power. Rock knew if he did well he would be given power.


    Rock was eating a cave spider when he heard the master¡¯s voice. He looked back and forth before he remembered that the master could speak in his head. ¡°Master?¡±


    (Rock, enemies have come. Bring the goblins back to the third level.)


    ¡°Yes Master!¡± Rock lifted his hammer as a grotesque and fearsome sound reverberated from his throat. ¡°ROOOAAARRR!¡± As the bulky hobgoblin started to run towards the cave entrance, thousands of goblins screeched in reply. The cave began to shake as a countless goblins followed Rock towards battle. The blood thirst was evident in their eyes as they dreamt of the taste of flesh. Rock was nearing the entrance when he began to feel something was off. He focused on the feeling, trying to understand it. Rock had faced death many times, and was very cautious for a hobgoblin. He realised that the air had stopped moving, and the cave was shaking too much. Even though so many goblins were moving the cave shouldn¡¯t shake this much. ¡°CAVE IN!¡± Rock gave a warning shout before rushing towards a nearby tunnel.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Goblins lived their whole lives underground, and were quite familiar with cave ins, so they all reacted quickly. Unfortunately this cave in was different; this was magic. Rock suddenly felt danger as he dodged to the side. A giant spike stood in his previous position. This spike looked like a thick spear, three times taller than rock, and a foot thick. The point was incredibly sharp as it penetrated the ground, but the most amazing thing was the glowing symbols covering the surface. As Rock looked around he saw countless goblins pierced through spears of earth that varied in size. Rock was overcome with the sense of death as he swung his hammer, smashing dozens of spears the length of his hand. They continued to fall, trying to drown him in stone, aiming at his soft spots. Small ones found there way into his joints, and his right hand had become useless. A very elegant and bright spear just slightly taller than Rock pierced through his back, pinning him to the ground. As the light faded from his eyes he remembered something the master had said to him. ¡°If you meet a mage kill him quickly, or you will die painfully.¡± Rock thought this was really unfair he did not see the mage, so how could he kill him?


    A man in a black robe stood in a empty cave with a black skull in his hand. This black skull was slightly larger than the ones others used, it was meant for commanding several different groups. The man in the black robe frowned as he looked through Rock¡¯s eyes. ¡°They acted far faster than I thought. If I can¡¯t handle this before the elder returns¡­¡± Silence followed as he thought of the consequences. This man had served the twelfth elder for close to a hundred years, and had seen many things he could never forget. He had heard rumors that to become an elder one had to rip out their own heart. The man shivered as he quickly directed some of the more powerfully creatures towards the enemy.


    Thunder beard had quickly divided his troops into two groups. Four-hundred were to set up a perimeter, this group consisted of the less skilled soldiers and a few mages. The remaining six-hundred were set up into smaller groups of thirty centered around a mage. Although mages would lose out in a dual they were an incredible asset on a battlefield. The purpose of this expedition was to make as big a dent as possible in the enemy¡¯s forces, so these groups were sent out to cause havok. Thunder Beard had selected a medium sized cave as the battlefield, with about five tunnels leading off in different directions. He planned to use the tunnels to bottleneck the goblins, while using the cavern to allow his own soldiers rotate their formations. This strategy would take away their greatest strength. He gave out a few more orders before he quietly sat down near the middle of the formation waiting. Standing around him were five soldiers, each wearing their own unique armor. These old nobles, who had chosen to die for their country, each carried their own unique air. As they saw Thunder Beard sit down they all Chose to copy him. As they began to breath the energy in the air began to shake, lightning crackled as ice formed and a fierce aura covered the space.


    The soldiers stood calmly with their swords drawn. Their old eyes gained a cold glint as they watched a flood of goblins come down the tunnels. Thunder beard heard the clash of weapons as he quietly gathered his strength. The goblin shrieks grew closer as the hours drew on. At some point the battle had changed; Thunder Beard had heard the heavy footsteps, and the sound of the hammer that crushed several men with each swing. There was the roar of fire from some lesser dragon, and the slight wails from some tormented soul.


    There was less than twenty soldiers surrounding Thunder Beard and the five nobles when something changed. The large monsters who filled the cavern began to back off as if they were afraid. Thunder Beard¡¯s eyes opened as he began to glow like a bolt of lighting. He flashed through several different colors as he stood up. The moment had come, he was done waiting.

 Chapter fifteen: Telling Death a Joke

    Chapter fifteen: Telling Death a Joke


    In a certain cavern about three-thousand feet under the Murus kingdom a lightning bolt shaped like a man stood calmly looking into the distance, and then he was gone. A path of corpses could be seen going off down one of the tunnels. The monsters, beasts, and dark creatures who filled the cavern felt an instinctual fear, followed by a sudden relief. The force of nature was now gone, so they turned to the meal that still sat in the middle of the cavern. The Five nobles stood up, each one released a frightening aura.


    Although each noble house would use a unique breathing technique, after thousands of years each house would certainly develop some similar practical skills. Among those would definitely be an extremely dangerous power enhancing skill. Each of these nobles were determined to die with their enemies, and had put forth everything they had into this final moment. These fellows may still fall short of Thunder Beard, but not by far. After a few moments the room was quiet, the nobles had left through the four remaining tunnels. Some of the corpses were burned, some were frozen, and some could no longer be recognized.


    The man in the black robe thought the main group was about to be dealt with, now he needed to organize a search for the other various groups who were causing problems. Suddenly a bolt of lightning appeared striking towards him. The bolt hit a shadowy formation just ten feet In Front of the black robed mage. Thunder Beard appeared, glancing at the defensive formation that had stopped his attack.


    Massive booms sounded out as he began to strike against the shadows. The mage began to shout out incantations as he formed patterns with his hands. More shadows rushed forward attempting to surround Thunder Beard. With a flash Thunder Beard dodged without slowing his assault. ¡°In the name of thunder you will die today!¡± The mage began to sweat as he felt the formation wavering. He felt the shadow of death wavering over him. He lifted the black skull in his hand, calling for help. He desperately reached out to the strongest beings he could find.


    Just before the formation was going to break two creatures walked into the room. ¡°Kill him! He¡¯s trying to stop the master¡¯s plan!¡± Skeletons wearing black robes, liches. One of them had a green shade to his bones, and as he waved his hand a green fog shot forward. The other pulled out a sword as he charged forward, a metallic gleam reflecting off his bones. Thunder Beard dodged the green cloud before charging at the other lich. The metallic lich was launched out of the room, but still managed to throw his sword at Thunder Beard. Thunder Beard blocked without effort, but as soon as he did several armored knights appeared around him. They all wore full body armor, but this failed to hide the stench that wafted off their bodies.


    The black robed mage began to laugh maniacally. ¡°HAHAHAHA! These two liches were personally selected by the twelfth elder! They are perfectly matched to face off against powerful individuals like you! I will personally deliver your corpse to the twelfth elder!¡±


    Thunder Beard quickly struck out at one of the knights, launching it away. ¡°What in the Thunder!¡± He was amazed to see it vanish a moment later, reappearing directly In front of him. Death Knights! These creatures were the ghosts of warriors who had been sealed into their own armor. After being infused with various magics they became troubling opponents. Thunder Beard tried to escape the encirclement, but was thwarted by the group of death knights. These knights were not only strong, but also very familiar with one another''s movements. The green cloud floated over, engulfing Thunder Beard and his attackers. Even though Thunder Beard¡¯s body was barely human at this point, he still could feel the green gas seeping in, slowing his thoughts and movements. Thunder Beard could feel the lightning in his body attempting to disperse. The technique he had used to enhance his strength would soon wear off, and the battle would end. Thinking carefully, Thunder Beard tried to find another solution, and his eyes landed on the two liches.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    The black robed mage was grinning as he watched Thunder Beard struggle. The mage thought that although the twelfth elder would probably be angry with the loses, this particular prize should be enough to appease him. The mage saw a flash, a burning sensation hit the back of his eyes as a deafening boom was heard. ¡°What! What happened!¡± No one answered him. The magic in the room was fluctuating, so he couldn¡¯t feel anything. When he could finally open his eyes he saw Thunder Beard stabbing his sword into the barrier.


    Thunder Beard thought that if he could injure the two liches perhaps he could buy enough time to deal with the black robed mage. He ignited a portion of his remaining power, launching himself at the two skeletons. Thunder Beard smashed the green skeleton into the ground, shattering its skull. In the next instance he infused the other skeleton with a portion of his power before shooting him through one of the tunnels. Thunder Beard smiled, it seemed his guess was right, the metallic looking skeleton was highly conductive.


    Thunder Beard broke through the barrier with just a couple of hits. He could feel the lightning inside him trying to rip his body apart. He quickly swung at the black robed mage, but the mage dodged at the last second, losing an arm rather than his head. The black skull had fallen to the floor. ¡°I guess those shadows must help you dodge?¡± Thunder Beard steady his sword, preparing for one last strike. As his blade went flying towards the mages neck, an extremely thick shadow suddenly appeared, grabbing ahold of the blade. An extremely cold feeling filled the room as a oppressive figure stepped out of the shadow.


    Thunder Beard couldn¡¯t move an inch as the shadows began to move across his body ¡°Twelfth elder! I am sorry for my incompetence. This man is truly too strong for me.¡± The black robed mage immediately threw himself to the ground as he began to grovel, but the twelfth elder paid him little attention. The twelfth elder was staring intently at the enemy in front of him. ¡°This is definitely the Thunder clan¡¯s technique. Would you happen to be Thunder Beard? I heard the Thunder clan had been desperately looking for their elder for several decades now. It seems I will have to tell them of your unfortunate demise.¡± The shadows seemed to tighten all the sudden, as if they were trying to strangle their prey.


    Thunder Beard could feel the lightning within him disappearing at the same time that the shadows tightened. He looked at the twelfth elder with a look of desperation. ¡°I..I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and what is that?¡± The twelfth elder grinned as he stepped forward, hoping to give his enemy a bit of hope before he slowly killed him.


    ¡°Just a bit closer.¡± Thunder Beard was barely able to whisper as he desperately struggled. The fear could clearly be seen on his face as his body began to dim.


    The twelfth elder was slightly suspicious, but he could feel the like energy slipping out of his captive. He leaned forward to whisper in Thunder Beard¡¯s ear. ¡°Of course, I would be happy to pass on your last words.¡±


    ¡°Boom.¡± The slight whisper was followed by a massive explosion. By the time the dust settled Thunder Beard¡¯s corpse looked like little more than a burnt skeleton, but the smile could still clearly be seen on his face.

 Chapter sixteen: The Proditors Sword

    Chapter sixteen: The Proditor¡¯s Sword


    The twelfth elder jumped back at the last moment, but he still couldn''t totally escape harm. He was launched back into the wall, making a man shaped crater. The black robed mage stared in astonishment as the shadows around the twelfth elder dissipated. He cut a sorry figure as he limped out of the crater. A small trickle of blood could be seen flowing down from his lip as his eyes radiated hatred. ¡°Stubborn fool! How dare a little pup hurt me! I''ll make sure to erase your entire clan!¡±


    The black robed mage felt a chill go down his spine when the twelfth elder glanced his way. ¡°I''ll deal with you once I''ve cleaned up this mess!¡± The twelfth elder only gave a simple threat before he disappeared, but that was more than enough. The little mage shivered in fear as his mind raced through the possibilities. He considered ending his own life, but a single glance at the pile of bones that was once a lich caused him to dismiss such thoughts. Not even death would allow him to escape his punishment.


    The twelfth elder reached into the shadows, feeling the position of both his own troops and the enemy. With a simple thought the goblins began to push the various groups towards a central area. ¡°I expect that you can handle this, right?¡± The Twelfth elder stood in the middle of a large cavern, as he spoke several figures appeared. Several liches, Ghost¡¯s, and other dark figures kneeled before the twelfth elder as a black shadow arose from the ground in front of him.


    ¡°This much is nothing, just don¡¯t forget your promise.¡± The shadow who appeared flipped off his hood to reveal the appearance of a very elegant dark elf. He looked almost identical to other dark elves on the surface, but his elegant nature coupled with the silver symbols glowing on his skin set him apart.


    The twelfth elder doned an annoyed expression. ¡°No need to worry Proditor, we will keep our word.¡±


    Proditor¡¯s face darkened as he looked at the twelfth elder. ¡°Call me lost one.¡± The lost one pulled out a glowing silver sword as he turned around and walked towards a tunnel.


    ¡°A name so established is not so easy to change.¡± The twelfth elder waved his hand, and the five human nobles appeared from a shadow. A look of bewilderment flashed across their faces before they realized where they were. They quickly brandished their weapons at the approaching dark elf. ¡°I want their corpses intact!¡± The elder shouted out one last unreasonable request. The nobles grimaced upon hearing this.


    ¡°You think we¡¯re some inexperienced children you can toss over your knee! We are proud soldiers of Murus who have defended mankind for over a hundred years! Prepare to learn what men can do you beast of the dark!¡± One of the nobles, who let off a blood thirsty aurora, could not take the insult. He charged forward towards the lost one; who looked as if he was deep in thought.


    ¡°Hmmm, this will be harder than I thought.¡± The lost one looked like he was trying to solve a riddle rather than fighting for his life. Just as the noble drew close, the lost one shifted his body barely avoiding the strike. The silver blade seemed to slowly flow towards the nobles heart. He tried to dodge, but despite the seemingly slow movement the blade still hit it¡¯s mark. The blade glimmered as the light disappeared from his eyes. ¡°Do you really need them all intact? It¡¯s really hard to subdue so many.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    The twelfth elder¡¯s voice took on a chilly tone. ¡°After today''s losses we need every body we can get.¡± As the twelfth elder was talking a shadow had come up out of the ground, swallowing the corpse that had slid off the sword.


    When the Twelfth elder¡¯s words finally sunk in, the remaining nobles felt a chill go down their spines. ¡°Don''t leave a corpse when you die, and be careful of that sword, it has some sort of strong magic!¡± A noble covered in ice took a step forward, warning his fellow combatants. The group began to spread out, trying to surround this dangerous opponent.


    ¡°young''uns, you wouldn''t be thinking of ganging up on an old man, would you?¡± The elf who didn''t look a day over twenty winters tried to appeal to their sense of honor.


    ¡°What would a demon know about honor?¡± The four men were unmoved by the elf''s words, as one of them taunted back. Despite their brave front, none of them had attacked yet. They had all seen how their comrade die without being able to fight back; like a lamb to the slaughter.


    While they were preparing to attack, the sound of an army rushing forward could be heard. The remaining humans rushed into the room, followed by hordes of goblins and trolls. A smirk appeared on the twelfth elder¡¯s face as a large formation appeared under his feet. ¡°Looks like everybody is here!¡± Shadows began to spread out from his feet. As the shadow reached the human soldiers they felt an unusual cold spread throughout their bodies.


    ¡°Everyone escape quickly! This is some sort of curse!¡± The icy noble shouted out to the soldiers, but it was too late. The various elites around the twelfth elder had already begun to advance towards the several groups of soldiers. Their swords became heavy as the goblins rushed from behind, boxing them in.


    A golden light spread out under the feet of a mage. ¡°Everybody group together! We have to take as many of them with us as we can!¡±


    ¡° looks like your friends won''t last long. Maybe you should help them?¡± The lost one stood leisurely, holding his sword loosely, but the group of four could not find a single opening.


    The icy noble stared at him in frustration. ¡°Now!¡± With near-perfect harmony they charged together, but the lost one seemed like a ghost. They couldn''t touch him at all, and within seconds two of them had been stabbed in the heart.


    Of the two remaining, one was covered in fire. Seeing his comrades fall he jumped back, preparing to torch their corpses. ¡°Hold him for just a moment!¡±


    Just as he was about to release the power in his sword he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Everything grew dark in an instant.


    ¡°That was close.¡± The lost one stood with his sword thrust through his last opponent. His other arm was pointing towards the noble who was formerly clothed in fire. A dagger could be seen sticking out of his chest.


    ¡°Magnificent! I have to thank you. If I had tried to subdue them myself; they would be little more than puddles right now. An ancient really shouldn''t be underestimated.¡± The twelfth elder quickly pulled the corpses into the shadows.


    ¡°Don''t get too excited; they did a lot of damage before they died.¡±


    ¡°You''re right.¡± The twelfth elder looked over at the other battle; which was almost at an end. The liches looked back at him as they felt his call. ¡°Raise what you can. Leave the rest for the goblins to eat.¡± With that the twelfth elder left to deal with the black robed mage.


    ¡°How long do you think it will take them to rebuild the path to the surface?¡± the Headmaster glanced at the four brown robed mages who had closed the cave.


    One of them stepped forward. ¡°We used several spells. Not only is the pathway gone, but we also hardened the wall. We even left a few traps, but it all depends on how skilled they are. If the goblins have to carve it out themselves then about four weeks, but a couple of earth mages could do it within days.¡±


    ¡°Very well, we should have all the formations and traps set up on the surface. Let¡¯s head back to the capital now.¡± Headmaster Frederick gave out a few commands before returning to study the information that was gathered.