The Chronicles of AzzaNation: Dawn of a New Age

by Matt Mihilewicz

  Len quickly closed the gap between them. She swung her bakon with full force, aiming the blunt side directly at Leo’s head. As he watched the crazed drake swing her bakon at his head, as it came closer and closer to ending his life, he finally regained control. Len was incredibly fast with her swing, but Leo was faster. He stepped back, dodging her attack and managed to keep his head attached to his neck. He dug deep and found his courage—his will to live—and he let it keep him composed. He was still terrified, but he was now armed with enough courage to take out his sword and fight the drake, pushing through his fear to do so.

  He swung at Len with all his might, but she was still the better fighter. She grabbed his wrist with ease and dug her claws into his skin. He screamed with pain and dropped his blade. She let go of his arm and swung her bakon at his torso. He quickly moved to dodge, but her last spike still managed to make contact—creating a laceration into Leo’s chest. He fell to his knees in pain and clutched his open wound.

  Leo looked down and saw his sword lying beside him. The rusted blade might be old and pathetic, but it was the only thing that could save his life. His hand was throbbing from Len’s claws, but he knew he had to push through the pain.

  In the blink of an eye, Leo grabbed the old sword and impaled it directly through Len’s heart. He made it just in time—for if he was only a second slower, her bakon would have crushed his skull.

  He watched as Len’s eyes returned to normal, the black fog leaving them completely. And then they became empty as she fell to the ground defeated and dead. He couldn’t believe it. He had managed to go his whole life without killing a single person, and then in the span of two days, he had killed a royal soldier and one of his own allies. He fell to his knees and dropped the bloody sword on the ground. He tried to stay composed, but as he relived the images of his gang dying—each one in their own unique and gruesome way, he couldn’t hold it back any longer and tears began to form in his eyes.

  He looked over the carnage that lay before him. All his companions were dead, and he was severely wounded. Why did this happen? He wanted answers, but somehow, he knew he wasn’t going to get them. He took a few deep breaths and wiped the tears from his face. In that moment, he stopped caring—He was just glad that it was finally over.

  Or was it?

  Leo’s ease was short lived as he noticed the pool of water begin to change. It started to create bubbles, slow at first, and then becoming more and more violent, as if the water was boiling. The water was becoming thicker, and the color was no longer silver. It was changing into a dark, horrific red.

  It’s blood, thought Leo. His nightmare was coming true before his eyes…but he had no intention of reliving it. He got to his feet with determination he never felt before. He was going to use his ability to escape this place before anything else could surprise him. He ripped off a piece of fabric from his pants, and he tied it tightly around his chest. He tore off another piece for his hand, then Leo turned towards the trees that would take him to the open desert…and he ran.

  He let go of his thoughts and his control over his body, letting his instincts take over. His ability, the one he had kept hidden his entire life…was speed—and Leo was using it to its fullest effect. He blew through the trees like a hurricane. His surroundings were flying by him in a blur, and the young speedster felt relieved that he was finally going to escape this death trap.

  Except, something was wrong. Leo remembered the walk into the oasis, and it wasn’t this long. He should have cleared the trees three times over by now.

  He stopped himself and looked around. His surroundings all looked the same—there was no way to tell where he was or how far he’d come. Then, a single raindrop landed on his head. He used his good hand to wipe it off, but as he looked at his fingers he saw that it wasn’t rain…It was blood.

  The blood-rain began to pour down on him and the oasis. Leo didn’t know what to do, so he ran again, faster and faster. He wanted it to be over. He wanted to wake up and find that his crew was alive and everything was going to be okay. He would give anything to escape this torture. As if it was an answer to his prayers, Leo saw a break in the trees—He was out! All he had to do was break through and run into the desert beyond. Only a couple more steps and Leo would be free…except, it was not freedom on the other side of the trees. It was the last thing in the world he wanted to see.

  There it was—all the same as he had left it. Len, Brian and Jax still on the ground, their bodies bloody and lifeless. The pool was still boiling blood water, but this time, it was joined by the continuous downpour of blood-rain falling from the black sky. Leo fell to his knees in agony. He was soaked in blood, and his wounds were aching. His chest felt like a sinking black hole, and his hand burned with pain. If only he had listened to his instincts…his feelings of dread. They had told him that something like this was going to happen if he came to the Forbidden Desert. But instead of trusting those instincts, he pushed them aside, over and over, and now he was stuck with dead friends and nowhere to run.

  Exhausted and thinking that his situation couldn’t get any worse, Leo turned his head and noticed something crawling out of the pool of blood. He didn’t know what it was, but it froze him in place. It wasn’t like anything the young man had ever seen in his life. It seemed to be humanoid in shape, but it had no features. It was covered in thick oozing blood, but as he looked closely, he noticed that it wasn’t just covered in blood. It was made of blood. This tormenting oasis had created a representation of itself, and it chose this monster as its avatar.

  Leo watched as the creature crawled to where his friends’ bodies lay on the ground. It went to Jax first and began feasting on his remains. Jax’s entire body, flesh, muscle, bones and all, was gone in a matter of seconds…and then the creature had moved on to Brian.

  The young speedster decided that he had enough…There was nothing he could do. He couldn’t escape, he couldn’t fight. He still didn’t know the goal of the oasis or this creature, but he knew that it didn’t matter. Whatever the reason, the oasis had won. Leo couldn’t fight anymore, so he decided to accept his fate. He closed his eyes and let the blood-rain pour over him. The young human took one more deep breath, and with that done, he passed out.

  CHAPTER THREE

  D eep in the Hidden Mountains, there is an isolated group known as the Egons. They are a spiritual clan that dedicates themselves to becoming one with the living energy of the universe. They believe that this pursuit precedes any rebellion or war, so they have always remained neutral towards any great conflicts in AzzaNation.

  During King Grindaull’s conquest of AzzaNation, the elders of the Egons signed a treaty, agreeing to never leave their designated territory. In exchange for their obedience, Grindaull and his Royal Army vowed to leave the Egons alone, letting them be free to pursue their spiritual quests. The Egons have always stayed true to their bargain with Grindaull, and none of them have left the mountains in over a hundred years.

  However, destiny has a way of changing the things we know to be true, and sometimes fate will meddle in the affairs of those that want nothing more than peace and tranquility. Even these beings are subject to fate’s wicked dance. For deep within the Egon village, there is one who stands out among the rest—one who fate has chosen to leave isolation and neutrality in the ultimate pursuit of justice and peace.

  _________________________

  Diandra sat alone, with her legs crossed, at the lake’s edge. She came here to meditate, as she so often chose to do. This was her favorite spot. Her happy place. The water of the lake and the rustling of the trees made her feel at peace. There was no one around for miles, and she loved it. As much as she adored her fellow Egons, sometimes she had to get away from them, and she found no better place to do it then just beyond their borders.

  The wind began to pick up, and Diandra watched as the fallen leaves danced across the lake that stood before her. Her long, brown hair blew in the breeze. Her pearlescent blue eyes sparkled in t
he sunlight, making her a picture of absolute beauty. Of course, Diandra would never describe herself as beautiful. She believed that true beauty lay in everything else, in the trees, and the water—in every living creature that called these woods their home. She believed that more than ever as she watched the nature of the lake—her lake, dance around her.

  The young woman in her twenties stood up and removed her outer robe, revealing the skin of her arms and legs and the tattoos that covered them. She closed her eyes and felt the breeze on her skin. Diandra focused on the wind moving around her. Instead of letting the wind hit her and move on, she opened her arms and let the air pass through her. Nature’s energy began to pour into her, filling her like a bottomless jar.

  Her tattoos began to turn bright blue, shinning as bright as her eyes—a sign that she was tapping into Mother Nature’s energy. She began to move her arms as she became one with the nature around her. The breeze moved through her, the trees danced with her and the water from the lake began to gravitate towards her.

  She began to manipulate the energy around her, in a way that seemed like a slow hypnotic dance. Diandra stepped back with her right foot and pulled the energy from the trees. The energy flowed towards her hands in a line of blue fog. When it reached her hands, she turned it into a floating ball of aqua colored mist, and then with a push of her hands, she sent the ball of energy across the lake, watching as the energy dissipated back into the water and the air, rejoining the energy of the lake.

  Diandra took a deep breath and smiled. Her eyes gleamed with peace and joy as she stood in the place she loved the most.

  “I can see why you like it here,” said a soothing voice from behind her.

  Diandra smiled and turned to see her master and teacher, Navon. She knew he was nearby in the woods. She could sense his energy quite clearly as he was approaching, but she was still hoping that he would have taken longer to reach her.

  The old man stood at the edge of the tree line. He was wearing the typical white and blue robes of the Egon elders. His short white hair made him look distinguished, while his face and eyes carried a lifetime of love and compassion.

  “I was hoping to be out here until sunset before someone came looking for me,” she said with a cheeky grin.

  “Yes…I’m sure you did,” Navon smiled back. The old man found a nearby rock and slowly eased his way onto it. Once he was sitting comfortably he turned back to her. “I’m sorry to interrupt your private time…but I have to talk to you.”

  “You’re not here to take me back?”

  “Oh, my sweet Diandra,” laughed the master, “I think the elders have waved goodbye to the idea of you obeying the rules a very long time ago.”

  She smiled coyly at that. Ever since she could remember, she had been making the elders crazy. Navon always stood up for her though, his prized pupil. She was like a daughter to him, and he was like a father to her. Ever since her parents were lost when she was a small child, Navon took it upon himself to look out for her well-being. A role he had taken to heart.

  “Tell me Diandra,” said Navon, “What do you know about the rest of AzzaNation?”

  “Just what you’ve told me Master. AzzaNation is in a sickness, and that is why we focus on healing.”

  Navon’s brow furrowed, as he sighed, staring off into the lake. “I’m afraid healing won’t be enough to ease this planet’s cries.”

  Diandra saw the worry in her master’s face. It pained her, to see him this way. She wanted to help him in any way she could. She walked over to him and knelt beside him, taking his hands in hers. She looked deeply into his soft blue eyes.

  “What’s troubling you Master? You know that if there is anything I can do for you, I will be happy to help.”

  Navon clasped Diandra’s hands in his and smiled.

  “Oh, nothing to worry about my dear,” he said. “I’m just glad I taught you so well.”

  Diandra returned her master’s smile and wrapped her arms around him.

  “I thank you eternally for your wisdom and guidance, Master.”

  They remained in their embrace for a few moments until Navon gently pulled away.

  “Okay…okay, that’s enough of that,” he grumbled, rising to his feet with Diandra’s assistance. “It’s not proper for an elder to sit around all day outside our borders. Come now, we need to return to the village…besides Diandra, the council is waiting to speak with you.”

  Navon began moving through the woods, back towards their village. Diandra followed close behind, watching him carefully.

  As they walked together, Diandra tried to glean more from him. She watched his body language, and listened to the subtly of his breathing. Over the years, she had become good at reading her master’s moods—knowing the extent of his distress. If his tone was hard, but his breathing normal, then she knew that he was only trying to protect her. But in the rarest of circumstances was he completely shut off, making his breath seem tight and shallow. In these cases, she could tell that he was deeply troubled, and his mind was severely focused and stressed. She wished that he would tell her more—confide his stress to her. She was beginning to worry that she was in trouble—more trouble than usual. However, if that were the case, then someone else would have been sent to find her. The gentle old man didn’t have to make the long walk out here by himself just to discipline her…None of it made any sense.

  She sighed deeply to herself as they moved away from the lake, closer and closer towards their village. She let a faint smile drape across her face as she decided to put her trust in Navon. She grabbed his arm, and lay her head on his shoulder as they walked. She knew that he wasn’t going to tell her what was troubling him. He was entitled to his secrets after all, but even if he didn’t want to confide in her, nothing was going to stop her from comforting her beloved master.

  _________________________

  “I’ll go ahead and let the council know I found you. Can you be there in a few minutes?” As they walked into the Egon’s village, Navon’s breathing had become even tighter.

  Diandra smiled, doing her best to put her master’s mind at ease, “Of course. Whatever you need, Master.”

  Navon forced a smile and walked ahead, moving towards the largest hut in their humble community. Diandra looked at the rest of the Egons, working or training in the village. Nearby, Bharen, an older man, with patches of grey hair, speckled randomly throughout his head, led a few cattle on a grazing walk. His wife, Zin, was in their barn, milking the remaining cows. Diandra waved to them, smiling.

  “Hello, Diandra!” called Bharen. His years of hard work had taken a toll on his body. His spine curved, making the old man hunch over as he walked. “Staying out of trouble?” he said with a wink.

  “Oh, you know me,” replied Diandra, making herself smile as she tried to push the thoughts of her troubled master to the back of her mind.

  “That I do, that I do,” said Bharen, with a knowing and caring smile.

  “How are the animals doing today?” asked Diandra, changing the subject as she walked closer to the fence surrounding Bharen and Zin’s pasture.

  “Bout the same as always—hungry and dumb!” he laughed hard at his joke. Diandra couldn’t help but smile. Bharen always said the same thing, when prompted, and he always laughed harder than anyone.

  “Well we all appreciate your dedication to them. I think the village would fall apart without you and Zin.”

  “Hah! Not likely. Not when we have youngsters like you to look after us, when we’re gone.”

  “You mean in two hundred years, right?” said Diandra, as she gave a cheeky smile. Bharen appreciated the joke and chuckled, heartily.

  “I’ll do my best. But I’m afraid I’m no Elder Tree,” said Bharen, looking to the massive tree in the center of their village. It stretched hundreds of feet into the sky, touching the clouds themselves.”

  “Pft, I heard you planted it, when it was just a seed.”

  “I’m not that old!” cried Bharen in mock
outrage, “…Even though I may look it!”

  Both of them shared a loud and hearty laugh. Diandra wasn’t surprised to find that she was feeling genuinely happy again. The one person any Egon could count on to cheer them up was Bharen.

  “It was good talking to you Bharen,” said Diandra, wiping away the tears of joy that formed in her eyes. “But I’m afraid the council needs to speak with me…again.”

  “Ahh, of course,” he replied, giving her a knowing nod of approval. “Good luck to you then.”

  She smiled and gave Bharen another wave as she started walking towards the council’s hut. Zin caught her eye and waved from their barn, with a gentle and happy smile. Diandra returned the old woman’s faraway greeting and kept walking through the village. Others would greet her as she passed them by, each with tranquility and love.

  On her walk, she eventually passed in front of her own hut. She had built it when she was only a teenager, with the help and permission of Navon. Up until that point, she had stayed in her master’s hut, and even though she had enjoyed living with him, she wanted a place to call her own—a place where she could have the freedom to explore her many different hobbies. The most prominent one being gardening. All Egons appreciated wildlife and the nature surrounding them, but Diandra, took it a step further. She collected and cared for different plants and flowers, nurturing them in whatever way they needed. She truly loved each one of her plants, and treated them like her own children, talking to them and sharing her loving energy with them. Navon had told her that her mother and grandmother were the same way—always keeping the most extravagant and beautiful garden in the village. Her grandmother had even collected plants from across AzzaNation, from a time before their people’s isolation, and passed the care of those plants onto her own daughter—Diandra’s mother. Their most prized possession, was a spiked cactus, from the Singh Desert. It was so rare and tropical—very different from the various mountain flowers that grew wild around their village. When Diandra’s parents went missing those many years ago, all she had to remember them by was that cactus…so she made sure that it received all the love and care that she had to give.