A New World

[meloner]

Brannen banged his empty cup on the table, and slipped a few dappers in the smiling bartender’s hand. He was about to leave when a drunk tryker struggled to a chair in front of him, muttering and spilling firewine on his worn out vest.

-I c...can’t do it...can’t do it... He muttered.
-What can’t you do ? Brannen asked.

The tryker looked at him with unfocused eyes, blinking. A tear ran down his red cheek.

-I...I failed...I’ve been trying to months !
-What’s going on ? Asked Brannen. Do I know you ? Your face looks familiar.
-The boat ! Whined the tryker. All for nothing...
-Boat ?

The word rung a bell in Brannen’s mind, though the meaning of it eluded him.

-You’re Skipper aren’t you ? The inventor ? You were a candidate for the governor elections !
-Aye ! I’m Skipper...
-Many homins were very interested in your ideas. This ‘boat’ thing...What is it ?
-It’s a...floating device. It goes on water. * hiccup*
-Really ? And you say you can’t do it ? Why ?
-Because I...I...* snore*

Skipper fell asleep before he could finish his sentence. Annoyed, Brannen poked him on the shoulder to wake him up. But the drunk tryker merely stirred.

-I see it...I see it...Beautiful ! He uttered.
-What is it ?
-Trees I have never seen before ! Oh the creatures ! Beautiful !

It was clear to Brannen that Skipper was either dreaming or having hallucinations. He wondered what it was he was drinking. He shrugged. The poor homin must’ve spend thousands of dapper for his inventions, and now lost everything.
Brannen was no warrior. Or mage. He was a forager, selling his materials to buy food and drink and pay for his apartment. In the eyes of the world, he was no one. He had no glory, for he had never fought for anyone. How could he ? He could barely hold a sword in his hand, let alone swing it. And yet there was one thing about him that made even the richest respect him. He was a generous soul and a kind heart. Which is why he dropped a bag of dappers in Skipper’s pocket before he left. Suddenly the tryker opened blazing white eyes. Brannen looked back as an iron grasp caught his forearm. An iron grasp that surely Skipper was incapable of under his condition. For seconds that seemed minutes, he just stared at the stunned tryker. When he opened his mouth to talk, Brannen expected to hear a “thank you”. But when the drunk Skipper talked, Brannen listened, astonished, to the voice of a woman.

It was a beautiful and mysterious feminine voice. Had it been coming from a homin of the appropriate sex, Brannen would probably have fallen in love with her. But it was coming from a drunk tryker who a few minutes ago had been muttering, burping and whining, stenched from head to toe in firewine, and breath that could kill a kincher. He stared, with disbelief as the voice whispered :

-There are lands yet to be discovered...But only can you find it if your heart is pure enough to believe it. Beyond the goo...beyond the Void...the world does not stop there !

Brannen listened, petrified, wanting to hear more of the mysterious voice. He leaned forward, hoping it was still there. Skipper was still staring with those flashing white eyes, as if a light had been turned on inside his head. Brannen could see a reflection in his pupils. But not a reflection of himself. It was a woman’s face. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Suddenly Skipper shut his eyes. Brannen just had time to glimpse her emerald green eyes, and dark blue hair waving around her face as if caught in the wind, mouthing the words “thank you”, before the eyelids shut down on her.

[meloner]

Brannen pondered, walking in the streets of Fairhaven, on what he had just heard. Were there really lands still unconquered by homin ? Creatures from Skipper’s dream ? Was he “chosen” to discover these lands ? Brannen realised who the mysterious woman was, but could not believe it to be true. It was not possible.
As the tryker walked past Loria’s Rise, a matis blocked his way.

-Good day, little one. Said the matis with a little smile.
-How may I help you ? Asked Brannen.
-By handing over the content of your little bag hanging from your belt. Answered the matis.

Brannen turned around without a word and started to walk at a quick pace. A small tryker was standing in front of him, grinning wickedly.

-Heya ! Where d’ya think ya going ? You heard Reno ! Hand over the dapper !
-Please, it’s all I have. There are richer people than me out there you could rob. You will not benefit much by stealing from a humble digger.
-Well, ya seemed willing enough to give some money to that drunken bodoc back at the bar ! growled the tryker.
-Please let me go !
-Hand over the bag and maybe i’ll spare ya some pain and kill ya quickly. Else Perposus here’ll deal with ya.

A massive zoraï came out of the shadows, as the bandit spoke.

-Aye ! Capt’n Hawkswing sir ! Can I kill him please ?
-Cut his fingers off first ! Ordered the tryker pirate.

As the giant Perposus stepped forward, dominating Brannen head to toe, his electric mace in one hand, a huge knife in the other, Reno cried out :

-WAIT !

Perposus and Hawkswing looked up, stunned. Reno was standing very still, not daring to move. A dagger was held to his throat.

-Step back Perposus. Ordered a deep voice behind Reno.

[meloner]

Relunctantly Perposus stepped away from Brannen. The homin pushed Reno forward violently, and walked slowly at Brannen’s side while Reno stumbled and joined his friends. There was silence that no one dared to break. The homin, who turned out to be a fyros, gave a hard look at the bandits, challenging them. Brannen recognised him as an old friend who taught him how to survive when he was very young. Ikas Derian. A homin who self-exiled from society long ago. A warrior who fought for no one but himself, but who’s presence in battle made all the difference between victory and defeat. He could be just and fair as much as he could be ruthless and cruel.
Ikas crossed his dagger and his sword, ready to fight.

-I’m waiting. He said.

Hawkswing and Reno lashed out at the same time. Perposus waited for an opportune moment to perform a deadly strike. The duel was over in a few seconds. Ikas dodged a blow to the throat, and spun around, disarming both Reno and Hawkswing. Perposus battered his mace with colossal strengh on the fyros who had no choice but to cross his weapons over his head to block the attack. The impact almost broke his arms. Ikas got up, blood staining his hands. Knowing he was now defenceless, Perposus grinned and swung his mace to the side of Ikas’s head. Ikas dodged it, and, with lightning speed, sent Perposus flying with a powerful shockwave spell. The zoraï hit a solid wall, crumpled to the floor and didn’t move. The 2 other bandits fled before the guards could find them. Brannen looked up at his friend, smiling.

-I owe you one, Ikas. Thanks a lot.
-You were in no real danger. I’ve met these water yubos before. They don’t kill. But, as pirates they have to play the game, so they always send empty threats at their victimes.
-But you are bleeding, my friend.

Brannen invoked a healing spell on the fyros.

-Let’s go for a walk ! Tell me what brings you here at Fairhaven.

As they sat on the beach, watching the distant waves, Ikas told Brennan why he was here.

-I was trekking. A couple of young matis were looking for a guide to take them to Fairhaven, so I volunteered. What have you been up to today ?

Brannen told him everything that happened when he met Skipper. At the end of his tale, Ikas frowned.

-A woman ? What race ?
-None, Ikas ! The woman’s face had no similarity to any homin race. It was too pure to be homin.
-Then...Who was it ?

Brannen hesitated.

-I think...I think it was...Jena !

Ikas smiled, almost chuckled.

-So...You have seen the Mother of Hominity. And why would she grant you such an honor ?
-You heard what I said. Answered Brannen, as he looked up at the bright sky. Somewhere beyond Void there is a different world, under this same sky i’m staring at. Homin has not explored all of Atys. And Jena has decided it is time we should.

-But why ? Brannen ? Why would Jena want us to find these new lands ? To “save” us ? Are we to expect a second exodus ?

Brannen had already asked himself those questions. And though the answer seemed insane, he was certain it was the only possible one.

-There may be other races, Ikas.

The fyros stared at his tryker companion with disbelief.

-What kind of races ?
-I don’t know...Ikas ! I do not expect you to believe me...I just want you to help me !
-Help you ?
-I’m going to look for this new world.
-What ? You’re insane !
-So are you Ikas ! I’ve seen you fight many times ! You lept in the middle of a bandit’s camp and slaughtered them all without getting so much as a bruise ! You literally dived in the jaws of a tyrancha and sliced it’s head from the inside ! The number of times you took out half an army on your own ! You have no fear ! Even a kincher would think twice before attacking you ! You are MEANT to follow me on this quest, my friend ! Nothing will stop us !

Ikas scratched his beard, deep in thought.

-We won’t be fighting varinx, tyrancha or kitin...We’ll be fighting goo...
-Aye ! But I’m absolutely sure we’ll find a way. Said Brannen.
-I have challenged every foe to walk Atys...except this one. The goo. I do not know what this quest will bring us, or where it will lead. Nevertheless, Brannen, I accept. Tomorrow, at dawn, meet me at the Void Kami Teleporter

[meloner]

Brannen checked his bag. He was carrying slices of yubo meat, water, kipee secretion for wounds, a dagger and his pick for he was hoping to bring back some proof of the new lands, like materials and plants. He looked up as Ikas appeared in the distance, carrying a rope on his shoulder. When the fyros joined his friend, Brannen asked what the rope was for.

-You do not know what is beyond that goo forest ?
-That’s precisely what I want to find out.
-Well there is a wall.
-A wall ?
-Yes. Similar to the wall surrounding the Burning Desert. Only this one is much smaller, and easier to climb.
-How do you know this ?

Ikas gave a mysterious look to Brannen, the same one he gives everytime the tryker asked about Ikas’s past.

-I wasn’t always a lonely person, Brannen. I once belonged to a guild. Every day we’d set off for an adventure of sorts. Not too long before the guild...how shall I put it...died, we planned on crossing the goo forest to the other side. It was a foolish mistake some of us payed with our lives...We saw the wall, found no way out...only the strongest of us survived.

Brannen could feel the coldness in Ikas’s words.

-Is...that why you exile yourself Ikas ? You blame yourself for what happened to your friends ? And now you accept to help me to honor their memory and succeed what they died trying to do ?

Ikas smiled, and answered :

-It’s what they would’ve wanted, Brannen.

Ikas turned towards the purple clouds and polluted soil, glaring at the one enemy he failed to overcome. A dagger and a sword, enchanted with multiple spells were belted at his left hip. His zorai long sword was sheathed on his right. He was even carrying a shield on his back.

-One might say you were going to war !
-You never know what’s up there. If there is a wall, it’s for a purpose.

With no further hesitation, Brannen and Ikas entered the goo forest. The effects were not immediate. Brannen slowly started to feel light-headed and had goose bumps on his arms as if winter had suddenly decided to come early. Ikas told him to keep calm and save his energy, for it will soon be drained from him. And the further they went, the worse it got. Brannen was sweating and trembling. His legs felt heavy. He was slowing down. Ikas grabbed him by the vest and forced him on, growling like a gingo, urging his friend to get up, resisting the temptation to stop and rest. Both their bodies were trembling. Ikas’s hear was damp with sweat. Despite his shield and weapons, Ikas hardly stumbled. Brannen constantly fell to the ground, exhausted. Not only was his energy drained from him, but his head was burning hot with fever. He was as pale as a matis. His sight was blurred with sweat. Suddenly Ikas grabbed Brannen and lifted him on his back with an almighty cry of pain. He marched forward, ignoring the searing pain in his legs, shaking the sweat off his forehead, shouting to himself : “You will not take us that easily !”. The ground gave way under his feet, ankle-high in goo, which only made things worse. Brannen slowly, closed his eyes, white as a sheet, unable to hear or see. He was dying. In one final attempt to save his friend, Ikas summoned what little strengh he had left and invoked an invulnerability affliction. Ikas wondered if the magic would last untill they climbed the top of the wall, or if they’d both die before even reaching it.
Wiping his forehead, bent under the heavy load he was struggling to carry, Ikas smiled as he looked up to see the last obstacle that separated Witherings from the unknown. The difference between life and death. Brannen groaned as the exhausted fyros dropped him. Ikas took the rope in one hand, with a wooden hook at the end, and swung it in the air with perfect accuracy to the top of the wall. The hook pierced the wall with ease. Ikas tested it then, knowing the invulnariblity would not last long, attached his friend around the waist, lifted him on one shoulder, grabbed the rope and walked up the wall, heaving slowly, one small step at a time. The invulnerability’s effects had gone, but they had left the ground, and no goo cloud was in sight. After several long minutes of agonised gasps and groans, Ikas felt soft grass under his hand. He tossed Brannen over his shoulder and hauled himself up, smelt a fresh breeze on his face, and blacked out.

[meloner]

“Ikas....Go back....You are going to your doom....go back before it is too late....Do not believe anything HE says ! You are not meant to be here....”

“Ikas....Do not listen to HER ! You must help your friend....”

“Ikas go back !”

“Follow your destiny....”

“Who....Who are you ?” Asked Ikas.

“BEGONE HOMIN !”

Ikas opened an eye. A smiling tryker looked down on him and offered him some water.

-Rise and shine !
-Brannen. I see you’ve recovered all right.
-Wouldn’t be here without you lad ! I owe you too much than I can afford ! You’ve saved me of some horrible death.

Ikas ate a slice of meat, looking around. So this was it ! No homin but him and Brannel had gone this far. The landscape was similar to Void, only without the patches of goo. They were in a big valley with a lake in the middle. Strangely there was no sign of any animal. Ikas remembered the strange voices he heard in his dream when a sudden cold gust of wind interrupted his thoughts. Dark clouds formed in the sky. Thunder shook the ground. Distant shrieks and roars could be heard. Sounds both homins were familiar with. Kitin !
Ikas reached out for his long sword and searched for any sign of approaching enemy. But the thunder covered most of the noise and the clouds plunged the valley into darkness.

-Brannen ! Stay close to me ! Shouted Ikas.
-I’m right behind you. He answered.
-I want you to be ready to heal me, should things get out of hand.

A titanic roar shook the ground. Trees were crushed under it’s weight, as a giant Kincher made it’s way to the lake. It was a species bigger than the Daï Den itself. Ikas could not believe the size of such a creature. The beast turned it’s head in their direction, and glared back at the ferocious gaze of the fyros warrior. He prepared himself. Balancing his weapon in both hands. He wanted to perform a single strike, before the kincher could do any damage. Both homins were still weak from their walk through the goo forest. Ikas focused on the charging kincher. In a flash he sent a powerful cold spell in the beast’s face, dived under it’s legs and stabbed the kitin. Blood poured out of it’s body and drenched the warrior. Brannen watched in awe as Ikas tackled the huge monster with speed and efficienty. The kincher fought back, it’s huge pincers trampling on the ground, trying to squish it’s foe. The kincher was wounded, but that did not stop it from being absolutely furious. Suddenly it arched back and sent a giant wave of lightning spells. Ikas did not have time to dodge or block. He took a full blast of the spell. Brannen reacted quickly and sent a healing spell to his friend. The kincher turned around, and lifted it’s deadly pincers ready to stab at Brannen. Ikas got up, lifted his hands and opened his palms. 2 flames appeared, lighting up a face full of pure hatred. With a cry of rage Ikas sent a thundering amount of fireballs on the kincher. But to his dismay the beast resisted most of it’s damage. Brannen seized his dagger, just as 2 large pincers fell on him, missing him by a few inches. He slashed at the kincher with all his might, cutting through the pincers. Suddenly he felt all his limbs go numb. Brannen couldn’t move ! He couldn’t even shout ! He was stunned. He watched with horror as the kincher’s pincers cut in his shoulders, spreading secretion in his body. It was over. He was finished. His adventure finished in the stomach of a kincher.

[meloner]

With a roar of pain the kincher turned around to find Ikas slicing it’s already wounded abdomen. The beast arched back, pincers high in the air, dominating the warrior.

-You cannot beat me. Uttered Ikas.

The kincher continued to glare at the fyros, knowing a single blow would kill him, and thus enjoying the moment. The warrior stood still, bent low on his feet, in control of his emotions, waiting. In a flash the kincher struck...and dropped dead as Ikas flung his sword between it’s eyes with tremendous force and accuracy.
The fyros ran to the wounded Brannen and was about to invoke a healing spell to save him when he felt something collide on his armor and drop on the ground. A bullet.

-Ikas ! groaned Brannen. Where are you ? I can’t see !

Brannen turned his head to see his friend. There were other people encircling him. So it was true. There was civilisation here after all. But he would never find out about it. He could already hear a soft voice in his ears. A feminine voice. Calling him to join her. He didn’t listen. He didn’t want to listen. He watched Ikas grab sword and dagger, and perform a remarkable strike, spinning around, bringing death to 3 homins. They were hostile. At least Brannen learnt one thing about them. The tryker tried to move. But he was numb. The secretion had already done a lot of damage in his bloodstream. Soon it would be over. Ikas had no mercy, waving his weapons in series of unblockable attacks. Good old Ikas. He would take them out easily, Brannen was sure. He really was a true master. The tryker wondered who was his mentor. He never asked, and never will. Ikas had killed most of the warriors and was now dealing with the spellcasters and range fighters. But he would be too late to save Brannen. His sight was now fading slowly. And as he closed his eyes, he was not afraid, or even angry. Just disappointed. Disappointed he could not live a little longer. Disappointed he would not see more of these lands and the homins that inhabited it. Disappointed he only caught a faint glimpse of the new world.




THE END