Note: A line of means flashback, time change, or dream sequence. Obviously context will reveal which one it is.

Epilogue

“Rebel forces approaching from the west,” was the cry heard throughout the small village. As the people hurried about in their homes, the forces drew closer. The warriors of the village lined up bearing swords and shields; ready to defend their home. “There’s too many, we’ll be overpowered,” said the lookout man. One of the warriors piped up, “Alright men, let’s show them what Traykians can do!” Just then, a small child no more than seven years old walked up to the man. “Grandpa, when can I open my birthday presents?” “Arias, what in the hell are you doing out here? Go back inside with your mother, this is no place for you right now,” was his grandfather’s reply. The child hung his head low and walked back to his house as the village army ran through the gates to advance the enemy as the doors closed behind them.

“Mommy, what’s going on? Why are dad and grandpa outside?” His mother looked at him sadly, “Our village is being attacked, dear. Grandpa Muron and your father are leading the village fighters to hold back the rebel group of humans.” Arias grabbed his small wooden sword and began to slash the air. “Can I help them mom?” he asked still slashing. “No, absolutely not!” his mother said boldly. He drooped his head with a saddened expression. “I’m sorry, dear. I know your seventh birthday hasn’t been the greatest.” Just then, the village doors flew open.

“Everyone evacuate now, the rebel forces are breaking through our defenses!” As soon as the words were spoken, the group of humans storming through the village gates killed the messenger. “There’s too many of them for us to handle,” one of the villagers screamed as he ran. Arias’s mother peered through the window at the horror outside. Though the Traykians were much stronger than the humans were, the humans outnumbered the small village. For every human that fell, a Traykian fell, but the humans could take the loss of a fallen warrior, for they had plenty to spare.

Arias’s grandfather busted the door to his home open. The humans had already set a blaze to the village. The heat from the fire could be felt within the home now. “Come on Katrina, get Arias. I’m making sure you two get out of here alive.” Arias’s mother picked him up under her arm and ran out the door. Muron led the way, cutting down any human that stepped in the way with his one handed sword. Arias could see the carnage in the village as his mother ran, it all swept by him. “Father! Father, come with us!” Arias did not know his father was dead. Left lifeless leaning against the wall. Katrina kept running when she heard Arias scream for his father, she could not bear the thought of seeing her husband dead. As they ran closer to the open gates, a human warrior blocked the path and waited for their arrival. He was a big muscular human, probably equal in strength to a small Traykian. “Muron! The gates,” Katrina yelled. Muron looked up as he ran to see the big human blocking the exit. He clenched his free hand tightly by his side. “Hope this works.” In his dash to the exit, he threw his hand forward and opened his clenched fist. An orange glowing ball flew hard and fast at the dumbfounded human that just watched it connect. The human blew apart; the pieces that fell to the ground were left to burn.

“Commander Chronis, those three are trying to escape.” As they made their dash for the gate, a horseman approached from behind and cut them off. “And where do you think you are going?” Muron stood ready to defend his family. “Katrina, take Arias and get,” he was cut off by Arias’s mom. “No, you take Arias, Muron. You have a better chance of getting out of here with him then I do.” “But, Katrina,” “Just go!” She demanded, “I’ll be fine.” Muron picked up Arias and headed for the door. The commander of the army drew his sword. “You can’t leave until I say so, and I don’t... Ow! That hurt!” Arias’s mom had picked up a spear from one of the dead soldiers and stabbed Chronis with it in the arm. This distraction gave Muron enough time to take Arias and run to the nearby forest. He knew Katrina could handle herself until he returned, he hoped she could anyway.

Katrina then stabbed the horse in the shoulder causing it to rear up, throwing the leader off. Chronis grabbed his sword off the ground and stood up mad as a hornet. “You shouldn’t have done that freak, now I’m really going to make you suffer.” “We’ll see now won’t we?” The human leader charged the female Traykian. He gripped his sword with both hands and slashed down hard. Katrina raised the spear parallel above her head blocking the slash. She quickly spun to the side and slashed the lightweight metal spear across Chronis’s chest. He fell back a few steps, his shirt had been torn and a little blood was drawn. “You’re not bad, for a woman,” he said in a sexist tone. “Well, I’ve been told I have more testicles than most men do,” she said smiling. Chronis glared at Katrina after that remark. He advanced again slashing at her arm. Again she blocked with the staff of the spear. Pushing down with her right hand, she brought the end up into Chronis’s groin. He quickly fell to his knees, letting out an odd moan. “Oh, I’m sorry,” Katrina, said with a smile. “You bitch!” Chronis took his sword and jammed it all the way through Katrina’s stomach, coming out her back. Chronis slowly stood as Katrina coughed up blood. “You stupid, stupid bitch! That hurt!”

“Arias, listen to me, you have to stay here.” “But this forest is dark and scary, grandpa,” the small Traykian boy said timidly. “Here,” Muron took his sword from it’s holster. “Take my sword for protection, I’m going back to help your mother and the others.” “Will you be back grandpa?” the worried child asked. Muron smiled, “Yes, Arias. I won’t be long.” Arias’s reply was a big smile. Muron left his grandson and returned to the village gates. He stopped abruptly to see Chronis’s sword impaled in Katrina. She coughed up more blood, and then fell dead on the sword as her eyes slowly closed and body went limp. Chronis pulled his sword from the dead body and watched her fall to the ground. Muron watched in horror as the voice in his head rang out, “no, Katrina!”

In a wild rage Muron ran at Chronis who was wiping the blood off his blade. Chronis looked up when he heard the movement of feet, the sound pattern of running. His eyes widened. He wasn’t ready for Muron’s crazed assault. He could do nothing to stop it; he didn’t have enough time to react for Muron was only two feet from the invader. Muron clubbed him with a hard clothesline to the chest, sending Chronis back into the wall. The loud smack of Chronis’s head could be heard hitting the stone. His vision was blurred and his head throbbed. By the time he could see straight Muron drove his shoulder into Chronis’s stomach, causing him to drop his sword. Once again his head smacked the wall, keeping consciousness was a struggle. He reeled forward and dropped to his knees holding his gut. His head hurt like hell, and the blood in his mouth didn’t taste too good. Chronis slowly rose, with the aid of his sword that Muron so kindly let him pick back up, he didn’t see how it would pose as a threat now. Chronis stood wearily and managed to spit the blood on the ground. With a squinted eye, an arm across his stomach, a stance that made him look like he was in a stooper, and his sword armed, Chronis was ready again. “Come on, I-I can take… take ya.“ Chronis’s head still throbbed with pain, which was becoming unbearable. Muron smiled. He knew that if the commander of the army were taken out, all the human soldiers would retreat. He looked around the village, not many Traykians were left. Muron had to end it now. He clenched his fist tightly as it began to glow an iridescent orange. With Chronis’s vision all he could see was a small orange speck on Muron’s fist. When he felt enough power was in the blast, Muron cocked his fist back, ready to launch the fireball. Once again, he threw his hand forward and opened it. The fireball flew hard and fast at its enemy. However, despite Chronis’ efforts to stay conscious, he blacked out after he saw the quick blurred motion of Muron’s hand. Chronis began falling forward when Muron released his attack. The fireball flew at the bloody, beaten, unaware Chronis. He was surely gone. The fireball was a perfect shot, right to the chest. Slowly, Chronis began to fall. The slow forward fall that had occurred was enough to throw the destination of the attack off. The fireball was deflected by his sword, which flipped easily out of his hand and into a human soldiers back. Muron’s eyes shot open as his attack flew back at him. A giant blaze of flame shot up upon impact. As the blaze burned, Chronis fell face first on the ground, as his army battled on.

Arias watched as his grandfather ran back to battle. The flames in the village shot up high enough to be seen over the great stone walls. Arias quickly became more frightened, fortunately Muron had placed him in a spot he was familiar with. He ran to his climbing tree. Though small, it was high enough not to get hit, and had enough foliage for cover. Arias watched the blazes through the leaves, he gripped the sword tighter with every scream that he heard. In an attempt to clear his thoughts he wondered what he would have gotten for his seventh birthday, but that didn’t last long. He soon realized that his family and friends were dying, and there was nothing he could do. Arias began to cry, and cry loudly. He wondered if they were gone already, or if he’d see them in 20 minutes. Part of himself convinced him to suck it up and go help. Arias was about to turn from his looking post to climb down, but he saw a massive blaze shoot high above the wall, at least three times higher than the other flames. After seeing that, he decided to stay put, even though he couldn’t stand the horror. Arias turned his head and curled into a ball. He slowly cried himself to sleep.

Arias awoke the next morning alone. He looked around to see where he was, he didn’t remember yesterday very well. He climbed down the tree with his grandfather’s sword in hand. He knew he was in the forest to the west, and that this was his climbing tree, but he didn’t know why he was there. He turned to face his village and saw smoke stacks rising above the wall. He then remembered what had happened. Arias quickly ran to the gates, stopping to see the charred pieces of skeletons on the ground. He couldn’t make heads or tails if anyone was his family, there were no bodies, just pieces of bone. The screams from the night before started to ring through his head. He shut his eyes tight and began to search the burnt village. Most houses had been burned to the ground, but some still had a couple walls up. Arias checked everywhere for survivors, hoping to find someone. With some difficulty, he realized he was alone. He started to cry again, but remembered something he’d forgotten. There was a medium sized shed outside the village walls. They kept supplies there. The shed was suitable for a home, maybe someone fled there. Arias ran through the smoke to the small door on the back wall. When he reached the shed, he opened the door with excitement hoping someone would be there, but there wasn’t. All that was in the shed were a few tools and some food kept in storage.

With the screams of his loved ones still ringing through his head, Arias made a decision then and there. He vowed revenge on the one that had done this, the one that had led the assault. He quickly went to work, preparing himself for his life alone. He separated the tools he would need, and threw out the ones he didn’t making some more space in the shed. He slowly began to wield his grandfather’s sword, getting a feel for it. He knew he would have to work hard in order to get revenge. Later that night, before he fell asleep, he carved a name into the wall. The name that would drive him to work hard: Chronis.