Fire & Stone_The War for Life

by Luis Robles

  Aggravation filled the King’s eyes as he turned to the gargoyle in the gray cloak. King Bramma exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself. Queen Laila extended her hand to touch him and to help him calm down as some Emorees became visible with his agitation.

  “Remove your cloak, and show us who you really are,” Bramma commanded.

  The gray-cloaked gargoyle did as instructed. The King slammed his fist against the throne in anger when he saw who it was. Nuvia gasped at just how close the Stone Kingdom enemy was to the royal family, shaking her head in disbelief. The gray cloaked-gargoyle was Lord Pontecal: he was the head bookkeeper of the Stone Kingdom. One of the most important gargoyles under the royal hierarchy was plotting against the royal family.

  Rage filled King Bramma’s eyes as he questioned Pontecal, “Why did you conspire against the royal family? Why did you do this to yourself? We were supposed to be friends.”

  “It was because of your daughter using the kingdom’s money without control—the money I’ve worked so hard to gain through stealing from anyone I could, corrupting gargoyle merchants and businesses. The Princess was using the money that was rightfully mine, to give to the so-called people in need, when all those people needed was to get out of my kingdom, out of the perfect economic system. Why is there a need to spread the wealth? Why should everyone be treated equally? I could not let another day go by watching her waste my money. Our friendship was never true, my King. I only wanted to take over the kingdom,” Pontecal answered absent-mindedly.

  “I’ve heard enough. Potion mixer, please return them to their normal state of mind,” Bramma said with sorrow.

  The potion mixer walked towards the two confessors and opened the flask just above their heads. As he did this, the drops of truth concoction returned to the flask. Iron Mage and Lord Pontecal returned to their usual selves. However, they were frightened having revealed the whole truth against their will.

  “I am disappointed to the highest degree with both of you. You two are a shameful example of treason. I hereby ban you from the Stone Village and the limits of my kingdom. If you so much as step a foot back into my kingdom, your life will end; there will be no exception. You are extremely lucky I am not ending your life now. The guards will escort you out,” Bramma said, directing his glower towards them.

  Several gargoyle guards escorted them outside the main hall.

  Bramma then turned to Hellys and Nuvia and said with a compassionate voice, “You two have done this kingdom a great deal of good. Nuvia, I am proud of you for facing danger head-on and always maintaining a cool head. Hellys, I am impressed by your skills in combat, and I am beyond sure that my daughter will always be safe next to you. I will now broadcast to the kingdom.”

  Using the voice amplification spell, King Bramma broadcasted his voice to the entire kingdom: “The events of today were unfortunate; however, we will take this as a wakeup call. The persons responsible for today’s trouble have been captured and exiled from the Stone Kingdom; details will be posted tomorrow. Now, as far as the Stone Tournament goes, today’s tournament will be the last one conducted for as long as I am King. A clear winner rose above the chaos of today: Hellys. Hellys will now be chieftain and protector of the Stone Kingdom, alongside my very own daughter. Their authority will be absolute. I entrust that they will do a magnificent job. That is all, and to every person listening to this, have a blessed night.”

  13

  A Lost Dragon

  For twenty-three years, Arimus wondered around the lands. Deserts, mountains, and valleys, he walked it all. He never stopped getting strong, for the seed of power had always been growing. However, Arimus had lost his grip on reality; his entire being had caved into the Gate creatures, and he was now consumed into darkness.

  “Go east. There, you will find that answer you seek. There, you can get her back,” said a voice in his head for the first time.

  “Who are you? Reveal yourself to me, coward. I will tear you to pieces!” Arimus shouted, startled and assuming a fighting position.

  “Good luck with that. I am you. Just another version of you, a better more evolved version, a purpose,” said the voice inside his head.

  “What is happening to me? Who am I? When will the torture ever stop?” Arimus said as he fell on his knees, holding his head. “I am Arimus, Watcher of the realm, I am sav—”

  “No, no, no, that’s not who you are anymore. You are no one’s savior. You save them and they repay you by taking the only thing that is ever known to you. You save them and they repay you with loneliness and misery. You save them and they repay you pain. That’s not you anymore. You are now a taker instead of a giver; you are now a warrior instead of a defender; you are now a wager of war instead of a peace keeper...Because you will stop at nothing to get her back,” the voice inside his head continued.

  “So, who am I?” Arimus said with a roar that shook the ground.

  “You and I are the same, and I, like you am Obfuscuss,” the dragon said at the same time as the voice on his head.

  Obfuscuss stood up and headed east with a clear purpose in mind—to confront the Gates, that entity that had taken so much from him.

  * * *

  It took Obfuscuss two days to reach the center of the jagged mountains where the Gates were located. He entered an opening in the ground that lead to a dark, damp place, and the only thing visible was a small red light at the end of the cave. Obfuscuss walked towards the light, unafraid of what might lay ahead.

  As he got closer, the Gates became visible. Two gigantic Gates stood at the center on a flat plateau. Behind the Gates, black fire raged on, and in front of the Gates sat a giant statue with three horns protruding from its head.

  As he got closer still, he was able to see the statue more clearly. Two of the horns protruded from the area where human ears would be, and the third horn seemed to protrude from the top if its head; each of the horns pointed forward. The three-horned statue was sitting with its legs crossed and looking down at the ground, and it was holding giant chains in both hands that seemed to keep the Gates locked. The statue did not move or even seem to notice Obfuscuss approaching. However, he could feel the immense power of the statue and the Gates. The three-horned statue loomed over the dragon in size.

  “Where is she?” Obfuscuss asked, unafraid.

  The statue rose its head sharply, opening its pitch-black eyes at the presence of the dragon. The statue shot a blast of powerful shards of dark magic towards Obfuscuss.

  “Fuego!” Obfuscuss chanted as commanding flames collided with the statue’s shards of magic. The collision made both sides of magic disappear.

  “You are stronger than we thought. Now, you’ve become the most powerful living thing on this planet,” the statue finally spoke.

  “Where is she?” Obfuscuss repeated.

  “Bliss and the other six beings of magic, the absolute opposite of the vast Gates…” the statue said with a voice that reverberated in the cave.

  Obfuscuss cringed as he heard her name, slamming his fist on the ground, causing it to crack and debris to shoot out.

  “When you destroy all the Nulian life in this world and all it’s magic, you will have her back,” the statue said.

  “Destroy?” Obfuscuss asked, confused.

  “You will simply give back her magic. You will give back her strength, her life,” the statue replied.

  “It shall be done!” Obfuscuss said as he turned around and began walking.

  “Wait!” the statue said and the dragon halted.

  “You’ll have to do it as commander of my five armies. Show the world your pain,” the statue said as it stood up and released the giant chains that held the Gates closed.

  The Gates opened behind the statue, revealing another world inside of it, a terrifying world with dark auras everywhere. Planets were colliding in the background, and buildings were crumbling as an array of shadows made their way out from within the chaos of the Gates.

  “Very well then. I’ll do
what you ask of me. In just a few days, this world will fall,” Obfuscuss said.

  “Head straight to the Great Wall of Stone; that is a stronghold of this world. Destroy that, and you will have it all. Destroy everything in your path. But beware of treachery and bewilderment; the gargoyles are clever, and they will use anything in their power to try to persuade you into not destroying the Great Wall of Stone,” the statue commanded.

  Obfuscuss left without saying another word.

  * * *

  Obfuscuss and his army of shadows headed straight towards the Stone Kingdom. It wasn’t very long before they reached the first village on path. The village of Petram was left with no survivors or stone standing. Dark smoke that smelled of destruction flew high in the sky. All souls were lost as Obfuscuss continued marching without remorse.

  The village of Illanais was next on their path of ruination, but thanks to the smoke visible by all neighboring villages, some of the villagers were able to flee from the dying village. After seeing that this new foe had destroyed their homes, some of the villagers took it upon themselves to warn the rest of the world, to warn them that something sinister was coming.

  A young man from the village of Illanais decided to run towards the Undying Forest located west of Illanais. But halfway there, he collapsed on the ground from exhaustion, unable to take a step further.

  “Hey buddy, what are you doing there on the ground? Wake up before a large lion comes up and make you his meal. You’re lucky I am strictly vegetarian,” a jackrabbit said, waking up the young man.

  “Who are you?” the young man asked.

  “Why would I answer that if you have not even answered m—" the jackrabbit spoke but was interrupted.

  “I’m Milbo from the village of Illanais. Well at least, was used to be Illanais. Now, dirt is all that is left,” Milbo said, staring on the ground, shaking.

  “Whoa, what do you mean? Last I checked, that village was perfectly fine the last time I was there,” the jackrabbit said in disbelief.

  “Well, it’s not there anymore, as well as Petram. You can go see for yourself if you want. A large army of shadows marched there, destroying everything in their path. Some people say that the army is led by some kind of dragon. But I don’t know about that. I didn’t see for myself. I just grabbed my things and left, and I left my things on the way here,” Milbo said.

  “I am Tunco, a running jackrabbit...And that’s some serious stuff. Where are you heading to?” Tunco said, paying close attention.

  “I was heading towards the Undying Forest. I wanted to warn everybody there…” Milbo said with an obvious fear.

  “How about this, Milbo, I’ll get a few buddies of mine, and they’ll help you get to the Undying Forest in no time,” Tunco said as he flapped the wings on his legs.

  “What? You’re leaving me? You won’t be back until sundown...the Undying Forest is still a long way from here. Let me come with you, please!” Milbo pleaded as he started to panic.

  “No, no, it would only take me just a few minutes. Didn’t I tell you I am a runner? Trust me, I’ll be back soon,” Tunco said as he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

  It only took Tunco just a few minutes to be back with several running jackrabbits. The jackrabbits looked similar in appearance: they were shades of white, with brown spots throughout their body. They each had four small wings protruding out from their ankles. Tunco, however, had two similar brown spots on each ear that clearly set him apart.

  “See? I told you that I would be back with my friends. They’ll take care of you now and take you to the Undying Forest. I’ll go to Illanais myself and see if I could see the army of shadows,” Tunco told Milbo, pointing his nose in the direction of the village.

  “Stay well away from in the village, and thank you for your help. If you do see what I’m saying, and if I’m not crazy, just head for the Stone Kingdom. I’ve heard that they have dealt with this kind of thing before. They will know what to do,” Milbo said with a pale face.

  * * *

  Reaching the village of Illanais within just a few minutes, Tunco saw for himself that the village was no longer there. He then ran as fast as he could towards the Stone Kingdom, and within seconds he was able to see the shadow army for himself; within the army was the dragon that Milbo was talking about. Tunco did not stop, did not flinch, but sped up and ran even faster. However, he was sure that he made eye contact with the dragon who was at the center of the army.

  Within two hours, Tunco had reached the limits of the Stone Kingdom and was rapidly approaching the main gate.

  “Do you see that?” one of the guards in the main gate commented.

  “It looks like a line of smoke… Coming this way?” the other guard uttered.

  “Hurry! Close the gate, something is coming!” the first guard exclaimed.

  The gate closed, and the line of smoke kept getting closer. Next thing they knew, the guards had in front of them a running jackrabbit.

  “Hey, you guys, you have to let me in! I need to speak with the King. It’s urgent!” Tunco said hurriedly.

  “Whoa, slow down there, rabbit! Nobody gets to talk to the King just like that,” one of the guards said.

  “First off, don’t tell me to slow down; you haven’t seen what I’ve seen. Second, the world is going to end and if you don’t let me in, it is gonna be all your fault,” Tunco said with a clear worried expression.

  “Open the gate!” one of the guards yelled.

  New gargoyle guards escorted Tunco to the Stone Keep to meet with the King. Tunco was led to the main hall where the King’s throne and the King himself sat with his daughter beside him. Tunco approached the King slowly, bowing his head as he got closer.

  “My King, I bring terrible news,” Tunco said, still bowing.

  “Raise your head. You are among friends. What is your name? And please continue,” Bramma said.

  Before Tunco was able to continue, Hellys entered the hall from an upper window near the ceiling on the King’s left-hand side. Without making so much as a single noise, Hellys walked to stand beside the King. The King turned to his left and said in a calm voice, “Ah, Hellys, nice of you to join us. What brings you here?”

  “The guards made me aware of a new visitor,” Hellys said as he smiled at Tunco. “I came to see for myself what was going on.”

  “Well, this little friend has an important message for us, as far as I know,” the King said as he turned to Hellys.

  Tunco looked at Hellys but sensed no hostility. He then turned to the King, and Bramma gestured for him to continue.

  “My name is Tunco from the Undying Forest, and I bring with me grave news. The villages of Petram and Illanais have been destroyed...There’s nothing left of them. I saw it with my own two eyes. I also saw a large army of shadows marching in this direction. In the center of the army, I saw a dragon and he saw me...of that I am certain,” Tunco narrated.

  The expression on the King’s face darkened; it was as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders now.

  “There is no reason why I shouldn’t believe you. In my heart, I know you’re telling the truth. Before this kingdom was formed, dragons used to fight on our side, not against us. The world is still changing, and we must meet the change head-on.”

  Bramma turned to Hellys, “Prepare for the worst. From here on out, Stone Kingdom will be in high watch.”

  Without giving it a second thought, Hellys flew off in the blink of an eye.

  “Rack in all the food from the kingdom, and start evacuating people to the Stone Keep and Iridium this instant. No one will be safer than behind these strong walls. I’ll go look for the Queen. I need to speak to her,” Bramma said, addressing to Nuvia.

  Nuvia turned and walked out of the main hall with a clear purpose.

  “You have saved hundreds of thousands of lives here today, Tunco, but I need you to save thousands more,” Bramma said, now talking to the jackrabbit.

  “Anything. What would you have me do, m
y King?” Tunco said, with willingness to help.

  “You are a running jackrabbit, right? How fast can you run?” Bramma said with a slight smile.

  “Well, I don’t know but I can make it to the Undying Forest in less than two hours if I really must,” Tunco answered.

  “I need you to deliver a message. Go to every nearby village, everywhere you can, by nightfall. Then, tell them what you’ve told me and tell them that they are welcome to come here, that together we will end the threat. I’ll make some letters before you leave in case anyone doubts you,” Bramma said, hopeful.

  14

  Behind Strong Walls

  Soon after Bramma put out the message for refuge within the walls of the Stone Kingdom, creatures from all over the world gathered inside. Even the once proud giants sought refuge behind the gargoyle walls. The colossal walls surrounding the kingdom provided unrivaled safety for all its inhabitants. With every creature that entered the walls, the threat of the army of shadows became more real, as some new arrivals claimed to have witnessed the end themselves. Trusting Tunco surely paid off.

  Not all that sought refuge behind the walls were weak. Among them, and the strongest group within the inhabitants, were the students of Iridium. Some of the students could wield extraordinary amounts of magic. So much was their ability, that they were asked to cast a barrier outside the Stone Kingdom.

  The barrier was a commanding concentration of invisible magic. It surrounded the kingdom with three rings of markings on the ground, in mages’ language, engraved on the boundaries of the barrier’s rim. The engravings translated from the mages’ language to the common tongue could be read as, ‘No harm, no sickness, no evil shall pass.’

  “Will it hold back an army?” Bramma asked, admiring the writing on the ground.

  “We don’t know what we’re dealing with really...But this is the best we can do,” the nearest one of the mages said.