The Fall Of The Tribes

by Philip Read

  “I told her to meet us here when she wakes.” He says drinking deeply and we stay silent again.

  I’m really starting to regret following this old fool. The wolf returns with a rabbit between its teeth and starts eating at the hermit’s feet. I sigh and go get more ale, getting a few looks from some of the big blue bastard Jotnar but nothing else. Never in my life have I seen so many people this big in such large numbers.

  All the blond ones with the slight bluish ting are over 7 feet tall. Handsome virile men with charming smiles and thick muscles. Apparently some of the other tribes are interested in bedding this Ancestral beast that produces such offspring.

  The current problem with the spawn of Ancestral Beasts is that they make their own unique species of people. For instance, the spawn of an Ancestral lion and a human will produce a demi-human lion that can only ever get with child with another demi-human lion or with another Ancestral Beast.

  Ancestral Beasts can impregnate any creature native to Gaia or be impregnated by any creature native to Gaia. They are the strongest creatures on the planet theoretically, said to have the power that could rival the gods if the gods ever took on flesh and came to Gaia. Powerful humans or even demi-humans Ascend through the Gates long before they reach enough power to challenge an Ancestral Beast on equal footing, so in theory there are thousands of such creatures scattered all around the world.

  An Archmage or an Imperium Warrior being the highest calibres of power a magic user or a warrior can reach on Gaia before being compelled by some sort of force to seek the Gates. Leaving the world for good for a place said to be filled with native creatures and other beings much stronger than anything that can be found in the seven worlds. The only place where the truly strong and the best of the best can challenge themselves. Those that seek power to keep reaching new heights and those that seek rest receive it.

  Someone sits beside me and another besides the hermit. I grunt my greeting and pass them the ale and one tankard each. The younger one is sitting beside me and she smells nice I notice.

  “I am Atla, this is my niece Eistla.” The older woman says with a sip. Looking at the now unhooded but still blindfolded hermit intently.

  I clasp forearms with the pretty girl beside me.

  “Om,” I say simply and go back to nursing my ale. I’m not very comfortable around women. I have only bedded one woman, an older widow in the village.

  My ma is a usually very happy and sort after person. A great beauty that refuses to mate any man but seeing nothing wrong with bedding her favourites. Some as young as I am as she still retains her looks and youthful vigour. I have grown up with my brother Harold, neither of us knows who our da is and it wasn’t easy growing up in those circumstances.

  For this, I avoided bedding the other girls in case of getting them with child. I want my children to grow up with a da present and as a result turned down the girls that made advances on me. When ma heard about my behaviour she set me down and eventually got my reasons out of me and then promptly placed me in the tender care of Ingrid. A widow that was said to be barren, having never had children regardless of surviving two mates. There I learnt the things all Norse men must learn. Every 9th day I went for a ‘lesson’ with Ingrid. To my horror, other mother’s started sending their boys to her as well.

  My jealousy could not be contained for months at first when I found out. But when I later learnt that my own brother had been seeing her almost as long as I it all deflated, though I did stop going for lessons. Grudgingly and not without great difficulty. But I’m not like most of the Norse, I just cannot share a woman, at all.

  *

  Gorr the Hermit

  “I was hoping you would come,” I speak quietly to Atla as young Om does his best to avoid looking at the pretty girl beside him.

  “How could I not after you beat me so soundly.” She says with a smile, sidling closer till our shoulders touch.

  “You just need to learn a few more tricks, you rely too much on strength,” I say my cheeks heating up as she places a hand on my thigh. This is not what I intended.

  “I wouldn’t mind putting myself in the tutoring of a warrior of your calibre. Even your young friend there gave me quite the fight.” She says rubbing my thigh gently.

  I clear my throat which is suddenly dry. “Those weren’t my intentions when I invited you over,” I say quickly, as hard as a rock and embarrassed that her hand seems to have managed to rest upon said rock.

  The other Awakened have been fucking none stop since their Awakening. The power comes with a variety of physical and mental benefits one of which is apparently very good looks decreased need for food, increased libido and unfortunately or fortunately depending on who you ask, decreased chances of getting someone with a child.

  I have been embarrassed by the inability of my cock to awaken with the rest of my body. Something I have been trying to hide and succeeded as everyone already thought me strange. The beauty beside me seems to have triggered something though. I wasn’t even sure what it was I ‘felt/saw’ about them. But at this moment I hardly care.

  “What is it you had in mind?” She asks smoothly, taking her hand off me and sipping her ale. Looking at the young pair across from us.

  “It can wait until after we are much better acquainted. You have a house around this area?” I ask, slightly agitated that her hand has left me. Is she losing interest, is she being coy? Spirits beyond! I’m an 80-year-old man. I need to get myself together.

  She giggles looking at me. “We actually sleep at the cots here in the long-houses. We arrived only six months ago and have been fighting the eager southerners ever since. How about you two?”

  She asks, looking back at Om again and frowning. “What’s wrong with him?” She suddenly asks.

  I notice how awkward everything is between the two youngsters and answer reflexively.

  “He worries about getting her with a child,” I say and Om’s ears get red as he drinks deep of his ale to hide the fish face.

  I sigh, regretting the thoughtless words and Atla snorts as her niece seems to get more assertive.

  “You cannot get me with child, I am Jotnar of the Frost.” She says loudly, further embarrassing the lad like the rest of the long table laugh at it all.

  “I’m getting some air.” He says to no one in particular. Leaving the table and going to the door. I sigh, excusing myself and following with a limp.

  *

  “I’m sorry I spoke so thoughtlessly Om my boy, my blood was up.” I say reaching him.

  He grunts seeing my erection and snorting. The air is cool getting frosty; it’s winter now and the darkness of night is darker still. The revelry inside is audible from out here, and there are piss trees all around the long-houses as both men and women ignore the latrines and piss on the trees more often than not when intoxicated by drink.

  “How did you even know that?” He asks suddenly.

  “Oh come now boy, it’s written all over your face,” I say seriously. He grunts and looks away.

  I sigh, no use using half-truths now. “And I’m the one who advised Tadita to send you to Ingrid.”

  I see/feel his shoulders tense but he stays facing away from me. I don’t want to remind him that I actually know what’s happening on his face without him turning so I just respond.

  “The girl was miserable, no children, no mate, no family, no prospects. Had she been a warrior at least she could have died in battle but the girl was getting old with nothing. I’m not ashamed of the meddling I occasionally did that brought a little happiness to her life.

  “You were young and too absorbed in yourself to notice her as a person. Possessive of Ingrid without really appreciative of what you possessed. The mistake of the young of course. We all make them.” I say also facing away from him, but sensing him relax slightly and his big brain deep in thought.

  The desperate and the destitute almost always seeked out my door for advice or just to vent in the village. Especially the women and t
he children, it gave me a unique perspective to hear their plight from the other end.

  The boy finally nods. “You are a right old man. I wanted her for myself but I never even really knew anything about her. Maybe I do have something to learn from you after all.”

  I snort at that and we head back inside, were a much calmer Om talks to the hot-headed girl, getting to know her better. I am more forward and am the one with my hand on a thigh this time, moving it up her smooth cool skin under her kilt. This will be an interesting night, I grin.

  *

  I’m not sure what the rules are but I drag both Atla and her niece all the way to the Arena. It is at this point that she realizes I’m an Awakened and hesitates to enter. The servants working for the fae are the only none Awakened to have access to the building so far.

  “Are you sure about this?” The fearless Atla asks, also looking at me differently.

  Before, I was a blind warrior that was too good a fighter not to fuck for a few rounds. Now I’m an Awakened, a person on an entirely different level than her. In her mind at least.

  “I live here, let’s see who tries to stop me,” I say dragging her by the arm.

  I’m eager, maybe too eager. Om is a few steps behind still talking to the niece who’s name I can’t recall. We get a few looks from the servants, then a few of the other warriors as we walk in.

  Both Atla and her niece are gaping in wonder at everything. Especially the artwork depicted, I have a hard time knowing what’s on a painting without getting close or opening my eyes. Even the stairs are gilded in this place. Bronze I think, a metal we apparently have in abundance under our hills in the Tundra.

  We eventually get to my apartment and I’m carrying Atla to my room as soon as she steps into the threshold of my apartments. My eagerness cancels out my nervouness as I place her on my wide sleeping cot and start to undress her rapidly. Our lips meet for the first time and my mind shut down as she suddenly takes control. We kiss hard and deep, our lips only separating momentarily to get rid of more clothing. A breast pops out and my head is pulled to a nipple where I suckle eagerly.

  A hand grabs my hard cock and massages it expertly. I moan between mouthfuls of the breast, my hands constantly moving. Roaming her athletic body and pulling us tighter together. I’m not just rock hard but I’m also very slick, my semen flowing generously.

  I find her tender spot and massage as well. I’m out of practice by a few decades but enthusiasm seems to make up for practice. She eventually pushes me down and lowers herself onto my ramrod straight cock. From there I know nothing but grunting, humping, grunting, sweating and more humping before I spill a river into her warm cavern.

  “How long have you been backed up?” She exclaims as all the energy leaves my body, I shiver slightly as a vitality I didn’t realise I had leaves my body as well.

  My body gets abnormally warm and gets flushed red, my skin inflamed. I try to catch my breath but it’s difficult. Even Atla is worried at this point. Ready to bolt for the room I assume Om is in with the girl. Whatever pressure I was holding back breaks out with a roar from my throat as I stand naked in my room.

  The blindfold falling from my face as a light bursts from seemingly every open orifice I have. The pain is unbearable and I scream another roar, even as warriors rush in with weapons drawn. Some as naked as I am. I hardly notice any of it though, it’s all background noise.

  My feet are no longer touching the ground now as I levitate slightly. My jaw breaking, my shoulders poping my spine bending. I wish I could pass out at this point but I stay painfully conscious as my bones twist and snap i’m screaming the whole time. Fur is sprouting off me, claws coming out of my fingers and toes. Mouth elongating into a snout.

  By the time I figure out what’s happening it’s the why of it that has me confused. Why am I becoming whatever I’m becoming? And why after sex, what did I see in the two Frost Jotnar? Women that are the spawn or descendants of an Ancestral Beast.

  I sense Fenrir close by, seemingly excited by the whole thing and that’s when it clicks. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted Sytar, the beautiful and wise Ancient Beast of the Dawn forest. She put something in me when she directed Fenrir to watch over me and now it’s come back to roost. Sytar, Enteril, whatever it is she likes being called depending on the guise she takes has experimented with me, the bitch!

  Chapter 6

  Sachihiro

  I’d like to think scaling the shear cliff face would be almost effortless by now if it wasn’t for how tenuous the grips were or how slippery the rocks. I have my grip guards on as I jimmy the tips of my fingers into the small holes, breath deeply and heave myself up. My entire body weight zanpakutō, o-katana and pack tied tightly onto my body.

  No one offered to carry anything for me and I didn’t ask. My forearms feel as though they are about to snap as I put the edge of my foot over the tip and use my leg to get up all the way. I breath deeply again as I stand on the small rest area on the side of the mountain. A spot with just enough space for two, maybe three people.

  I look down at the clouds bellow us, almost completely obscuring land but numerous peaks break the cloud cover here and there. It’s nearing sunset and the colours of twilight are pure and unfiltered up here. This is something Asriel should draw.

  His arm appears at the tip of the cliff as he pulls himself up almost effortlessly and dusts himself off. He makes it seem so easy, barely breathing hard even. We’ve been climbing this mountain for nearly ten hours now. Since the beginning of dusk in order to get a head start on the vampires and not have them wait for us again. For the kites to be able to carry us far enough across the land we have to be high enough to glide following air currents downwards and across, a dive I’ve learnt to look forward to as I get to experience the wonder of flight. A piercing cry splits the silent mountain air as I duck my head on reflex reaching for my throwing axe tucked in the front of my pants.

  A huge ass griffin sweeps past threateningly, followed by two more. They circle above us, crying out but not attacking because Asriel has his aura out in full force again. I really need to learn that skill. Aura’s are everywhere and everything has an aura. People, animals, plants, even places and things have auras. Before I left the Tundra I wasn’t aware of that, but its been a very productive two and half years. I can feel auras now almost without effort. Only beings that can hide their auras or have very complicated aura signatures can fool me now.

  Feeling the current aura around myself I know that the mountain is stable, old and ever present, dependable. It will be here for millennia more, content to stand vigil over the valley below.

  The griffins are threatening, worried and angry. They are big enough to carry us off and drop us from the sky, or even using those massive claws to rip us to ribbons. But a bird is still a bird no matter how beautiful and powerful it may seem, at least that’s what I’m telling myself right now. Asriel’s aura is that of a Lord, honed and developed over many years of training and struggle. They wouldn’t dare attack.

  “We’ve probably gotten too close to a nest.” Asriel says beside me as the sun finally goes all the way down.

  I nod my understanding, they will definitely attack if we get any higher if its a nest regardless of whether or not they have a chance. Asriel changes his aura, making it more welcoming and peaceful. Conveying friendship and trustworthiness. The thing with aura is that you can only convey things you have within you with it.

  You cannot lie with aura, a person that has no killing intent cannot project killing intent, a person with no peaceful intentions cannot project peaceful intentions and beasts in nature are the most natural aura users in the world. The hackles of an animal in a place with bad juju will rise long before it can sniff out the threat.

  The griffins above us keep circling but one comes down. It dives almost too fast but then opens its impressive wingspan of at least 8 meters or 26 feet as it hovers facing us. Blowing the cold wind of the Titan range in our faces. I have never seen anyth
ing more beautiful, a sight more majestic. Up close it’s bigger that I thought it was. It’s feathers have a glossy shin to them but they still look like feathers. The creature itself has a body of about 5 meters in length. Its huge, it’s claws tucked into its stomach.

  A pressure builds between us for a moment, as though my ears are about to pop. Then the pressure is gone and the griffin sweeps away. The thing isn’t flying the way birds usually fly, it only occasionally flaps it’s wings as it swims through the air as if by magic.

  “It’s a magical beast?” I ask Asriel as he goes first this time continuing the climb.

  “How can you tell that anyways?” I ask following him.

  The climb is easier from here as the mountain face slants slightly and there is no ice on this particular mountain. Something keeping it warm from within though it isn’t a volcano.

  “It told me it would lead me to a good spot to glide from.” He says not looking back.

  I know he is serious, but I’m still having a hard time with the concept of talking beasts. I’ve never personally had any interaction with Awakened beasts, they are simply just too dangerous. Creatures with all the instincts and advantages nature gave them and the sapients that rivals the best mundane human minds. Not something you want to mess with in it’s home turf.

  “You planning on teaching me how to talk to Awakened beasts anytime soon old man?” I tease half seriously.

  “I didn’t talk to it, it spoke to me.” He says moving quickly, trying to push me I can tell.

  I think about that a moment while making sure my footing is stable and I don’t fall to my death, it’s dark now and anything could happen. I doubt nocturnal hunters would attack a mountain full of Griffin’s though.