Leader : Detheon (Fyros)
Leader : Varo (Matis)
High officer : Eulix (Fyros) High officer : Boekeps (Fyros)
High officer : Zhao (Zoraï) High officer : Ke-Piang (Zoraï)
Officer : Mella (Fyros) High officer : Gibre (Matis)
Officer : Mac’Nary (Tryker)Officer : Sirgio (Matis)
Officer : Roni (Matis) Officer : O’Darghan (Tryker)
Member : Apolla (Fyros) Member : Frergio (Matis)
Member : Fuan (Zoraï) Member : Peccio (Matis)
Member : Tinaera (Matis) Member : Lini (Matis)
Member : Icalan (Fyros) Member : Cuine (Matis)
Member : Be’Gany (Tryker)
Member : Triera (Matis)
2 guilds.The first one led by Detheon. The second by Varo. Two rivals, two enemies. They hate each other. Both guilds fight and kill each other. And no one knows why.
Chapter 1
Deep down in the roots of Atys, the expedition halted. An ageing fyros with grey hair tied in a tail and ornamented with a crown stepped forward, looked around, sniffing the air then beckoned to a zoraï standing behind him.
-We must be close now. I can smell the horrible stench of yelk nearby. Tell everyone to get ready.
-Very well Eulix.
The company walked silently, keeping to the shadows and looking out at all times for any predator that may cross their path. Eulix spotted two kinchers lurking nearby, seeking prey. The fyros tightened the hold on his pike. With a bit of luck he wouldn’t have to use it. Suddenly he snapped his fingers. Everyone dropped down on the ground automatically. They were there. The expedition crept towards the kitin lair, unnoticed. A couple of kidinaks guarded the entrance.
-By the zerx’s tail ! I hope this’ll work...We’ll be in serious trouble if it doesn’t. Growled a tryker.
The fyros woman lying next to him elbowed him in the ribs, and put a finger to her mouth.
-Fuan ! Whispered Eulix, adressing the zoraï. You deal with the yelks. Mac’Nary, you’ll have to lure the guards away.
-Hey ! Why me ?
-You’re the smallest.
Mac’Nary muttered a curse, inaudible for anyone but himself to hear while Fuan quietly pulled a pair of magic amplifiers out of his yubo skin bag and drew away from his friends, towards a peaceful pack of yelks digging the dirt in search of food, close to the lair, but far enough to feel safe from kitin attack. The zoraï stood up, and scanned the area, examining the distance between the yelks and himself. The range was too low for Fuan’s liking. The spells would have to be powerful.
A shrill whistle echoed in the distance. A few yelks looked up in alarm, confused of the strange noise. Fuan whistled back. He was ready. Mac’Nary made his move. Grabbing a pistol from his pocket he sprinted towards the kidinaks, took careful aim as he ran past and pulled the trigger twice. Two bullets ricocheted off the shell of the two guards. Stamping angrily, the kidinaks did not follow him. Pinchers snapped menacingly, daring the cheeky tryker to shoot again. Which he did. A rain of ammo hit the kitins, bouncing off their shells, pinchers and stubby legs. Though it barely scratched them, it irritated them profoundly. Their small bodies rocked from side to side, stamping with frustration. “Come on !” Muttered Mac’Nary angrily. “C’mon and chase me !” The tryker fired another bullet. No reaction. Again ! An angry click from a pincher followed. They knew they mustn’t leave the lair. But were they going to let this pestering homin taunt them ? Why was he doing this ? There must be a reason...
The first kidinak took a step forward, about to attack. The other hesitated a second, then, to Mac’Nary’s dismay and to everyone’s horror, roared a warning to the inhabitants of the lair.
“Smart boy.” Muttered Fuan as he observed kinchers and kirostas pouring out of their nests faster than the wag of a yubo’s tail.
Mac’Nary’s reaction was quick, desperate and based on the sole instinct of his tryker mind : he ran faster than his legs could bare, shouting to himself repeatedly what sounded very much like : “Oh crap ! oh crap ! oh crap !”
-By the ashes of Dyros ! This is not how I intended the kidinaks to react ! Exclaimed Eulix. Mella ! Roni ! Help Fuan subdue the kitins ! Kill the yelks ! Hopefully Mac’Nary will have the sense to run to them.
Two kinchers caught up with the panting tryker, and were about to perform a deadly strike when giant roots shot from the ground and curled around the legs of the predators, incapacitating them. Mac’Nary didn’t have time to check who just saved his life. He sprinted to the pack of yelks. As he approached, Fuan summoned all his energy, took a deep breath, and invoked his spell. A huge shockwave bomb lit the darkened sky of the primes roots high above, before diving onto the yelks. Mac’Nary felt the blast as the spell hit it’s targets and went flying 10 metres before rolling on the soft ground, his natural resistance to shockwave saving him from certain death. A hord of kitins succumbed to the lethal clouds emanating from the dead yelks. But Fuan was considerably weakened by his spellcast. He felt his energy drained and his muscles aching. He dropped to his hands and knees, panting, and angry that a single spell would put him out of action so easily. Suddenly he sensed a wisp of wind envelopping him, bringing fresh air to his lungs and life to his limbs and stared at Mella, who had just cast a healing spell on him. She grinned. He smiled. After pulling him back up, the brave fyros girl cast elemental spells on the remaining yelks, while Fuan ran to tend to the fallen tryker.
-Mac’Nary ! Shouted the zoraï, as his heal spell tended to the wounds.
But Mac’Nary didn’t move. Fuan shook him gently. The tryker remained limp and motionless.
-Come on Mac’Nary ! Wake up !
The zoraï slapped him on the cheeks. Mac’Nary groaned but kept his eyes shut firmly.
-This is payback for hitting you with the spell isn’t it ? Grunted Fuan as he lifted the tryker on his stout shoulders.
The ground shook before him suddenly, as a kincher, who had somehow managed to escape the poisonous yelk clouds, stood menacingly in front of the defenceless zoraï, dominating him. It roared angrily. Fuan dropped Mac’Nary carefully to the ground, fixing the beast through his mask, grabbed a mace, belted to his mage robes, and swung it in both hands, warming up. The kincher clicked it’s mandibles viciously, and raised two front legs, each one as tall as the zoraï, about to strike. Fuan dodged to his left and pounced on the kitin hitting it from side to side, on it’s legs, on it’s mandibles, on it’s head. The kincher scrieched and stamped, blinded by the battering of the zoraï, until a blow on the head made it curl up on it’s side, dead. Fuan ran back to Mac’Nary, lifted him up on his back once more, and, using his mace for additional support, made his way back to his friends who had meanwhile slaughtered the two guards.
-What happened to Mac’Nary ? Asked Eulix.
-He got hit by my bomb spell. Answered Fuan. But he’ll live. What should I do with him ?
-I’ll take care of him ! Said Mella. You go and get the larvae !
-There are still kitins in there. Kinreys and kidinaks never leave the queen. Pointed out Roni.
-They will be asleep as we speak.
-How can you be sure, Eulix ?
-Mac’Nary shot the guards a dozen times and not a single kitin came out to see what was happening. No kibans were seen collecting ressources on our way here either. That is proof enough that the inhabitants of this lair were sleeping. But that doesn’t mean our task will be any easier considering it only took a single roar to awaken a whole flock of kinchers. Silence is essential. Fuan, you will get the larvae. Me and Roni will pick the eggs from empty nests.
While Mella dragged the unconscious Mac’Nary to hide in a forest of jublas, the elderly fyros led Roni and Fuan into the obscurity of the kitin lair. The smell of rotting corpses filled their nostrils. The ground was covered in a sea of bones and droppings. Ignoring the stench, the 3 homins crept forward, near the nests. Kipees were sleeping here and there, snoring loudly from time to time, causing Roni to jump nervously.
-I don’t see the queen. Whispered Fuan.
-That’s odd. No kinreys either. Maybe they are...
-Shhhh ! Over here !
The homins made their way slowly to the nests Roni was pointing at, stepping over the kipees with infinite precaution. Three kitin eggs lay inside, the size of Fuan’s fists put together. Eulix picked them up gently and put them in his bag, then moved on to the other nests.
-Eulix...Whispered Roni. All the other nests look empty.
-What ? Impossible ! Kitins breed like domesticated yubos. There should be loads of eggs.
-Let’s look for the queen. Suggested Fuan.
-Get a move on ! We’re running out of time. I just saw that kipee stirring in it’s sleep.
-Okey, never mind the queen ! It would be suicide to hunt her down with just the three of us anyway. The eggs will do !
The hunt went on for ten frustrating minutes. Not a single egg could be seen in the area. Eulix was tempted to look in one of the many tunnels that led deeper in the entrails of the lair, but Roni and Fuan refused. The mere thought of further exploration made them shudder. Eulix glanced at the sleeping kipees, grunting and twitching. They were about to awake. It was time to go. He nodded to Fuan. They started to make their way to the entrance of the lair when suddenly, something caught Eulix’s attention. Something totally out of place, hanging on a jutting blackened bone by the old fyros’s foot. Eulix snatched it and examined it closely. It was a piece of cloth and, judging by the refined colors, of high quality matisian craft. Suddenly it dawned on him. Of course ! It was the only plausible explanation. Eulix’s expression changed from puzzlement to understanding, and finally anger.
When Mella met up with her friends, she did not even have the time to ask why they came back empty-handed, before Eulix thrust the piece of cloth in front of her face and said :
-Someone’s been here !
-What ?
-Someone came before us and stole all the eggs and larvae !
-That’s impossible ! How could they have gotten them without killing the kitins inside ? And the guards ?
-We couldn’t. Answered a voice behind their backs. We let you do it for us.
Eulix spun around. There, arms crossed, smiling, stood 3 homins. A matis, and at his side, a fyros and a zoraï. The matis wore loose-fitting dark green robes, matching the color of the piece of cloth Eulix held in his hand, and a living matis sword belted at his waist. His blond hair was cut in traps and decorated with a shiny green ornament set above his forehead. His appearance would have seduced many women had he not a long thin scar across his pale neck. The fyros looked a lot less appealing : a dark tattoo covered most of his face. His crooked nose, scarred lips, and scarred cheeks suggested he recently got involved in a vicious bar brawl. His black hair was tied in a simple top tail with a small ring-shaped garment. The fyros was looking at Eulix with cold cruel eyes. As for the zoraï, he was probably the tallest homin alive, which gave him a very intimidating appearance. His mask bore the brow of wrath tattoo, and the orifices representing the mouth and the eyes were dark narrow slits. The zoraï’s long purple hair was crowned with horns. He wore black fyros mage robes and a pair of shining matis amplificators.
The matis spoke :
-That was a rather clever plan of yours Eulix, to ambush the kitins in that manner. Congratulate Mac’Nary for his performance for me when he awakes, it gave us all a good laugh.
-Varo !
Eulix spat the word as if it were poison.
-Give me back the eggs you stole from us.
-You are wrong my friend. We did not steal them from you, we got them before you. However, your efforts have not been in vain, we left two or three eggs for you to find. I would hate going back with empty hands knowing dear old Detheon’s temper.
Roni stepped forward.
-Give us the eggs, Varo ! Before things get unpleasant.
The matis laughed. The fyros gave a humourless smile.
-Empty threats, little boy ! If things were to get “unpleasant” as you say, they would for you.
-Care to find out ? Asked Roni coldly, taking another step.
Varo walked up to the young homin, and looked him in the eye. Both matis glared at each other, seeking to provoke a challenge.
-You should be grateful, little boy. We actually had to give you all a helping hand before we sneaked into the lair unnoticed. Said Varo in an icy tone. Without Ke-Piang’s afflictions to stun the guards and root the kinchers most of you’d be dead by now. I’d hate to have to harm you. If I wanted to I’d squish you like a bug. You’ve been beaten ! Get over it ! Now go !
-Don’t-call-me “little boy” ! Answered Roni.
-Or what ...little boy ? Sneered Varo.
Unable to contain his anger any longer, Roni punched the matis under the chin. Varo took a couple of steps back, feeling his jawbone. In a flash the fyros pounced on the young matis and lifted him off the ground.
-Get away from him Boekeps ! Shouted Eulix as he thrust his pike under the homin’s throat.
-Shut your mouth, you crippled fool ! He just hit my leader.
Varo snapped his fingers. No one saw it coming. No one ever paid any attention to him. Only Fuan had time to see the zoraï silently cast a spell with unthinkable speed before he, and the others, blacked out, blasted by a powerful sleep spell.
-Good job. Said Varo, as he kicked an unconscious Roni in the ribs.
-We should kill them ! Said Boekeps.
-No ! Not today...Some other time, Boekeps.
-Why wait ? You know very well they’ll come back at us !
-Let them come ! With you two by my side they can do nothing. They are pathetically weak ! Only Detheon can be qualified a threat to me.
-Don’t underestimate them, Varo ! I know what they are capable of ! Let’s kill them now while we have the opportunity !
-No, no, no ! You don’t understand Boekeps. They humiliated me. They humiliated us ! I want them to feel how pathetic they are compared to me. I want to make Detheon suffer slowly. See him lose his members one by one in combat. Then I will kill him. They will pay for everything they did to me !
The matis looked down on the huddled group of unconscious homins with pure hate. He leaned down to pick up the three eggs from Eulix’s bag then, with no further glance, walked back to the upper world, to the green forests of Verdant Heights.
)
and very nice story 
