RECOVERY

THE AWAKENING

The spiro’s were a terrifying race of monsters. Green skinned and very much taller than the average human being. They were strong and ruthless however, they were strong and ruthless. They disappeared following the emergence of the crow – a monster that carried with it a very rare and infectious disease and could infect you by touching. Luckily, the monster was killed and fortunately it had no siblings or so everyone thought and the disease it carried died along with it.

The outlands enjoyed the absence of the spiro’s as well as that of the crows but there has got to be something that alerted new monsters that the stage was clear for them to show up. This time, it was not going to be an entirely new monster. The monsters were well known throughout the outlands and furthermore, they spoke their own language.

The spiro’s lived in caves and occupied the areas nearest to the caves they inhabited. It was reported that they only killed people when necessary and rumoured that they captured and cloned human beings to increase the strength of their numbers. The rumors kept people indoors when the report of a spiro went round.

Seated deep within the outlands in the shadow territory, rested a cave that could be referred to as the headquarters of the spiro’s. The outer parts of the cave was green. Owing to the existing filaments of spirogyra.  

“Our number has greatly reduced.” “True. I think we should travel west. There are better caves and we could pick up many humans along the way.” Two spiro’s were talking. The one at the entrance to the cave who was much bigger than the rest seemed in charge. They talked on for some time then rejoined the others and told them to get ready to travel. From their position, west was towards Zorak where Raven and Pavalon were soon to start advancing from.

Back at the imperial court, one of the elders was beginning to feel sympathy for Trask. “I think he’s had enough.” The other elders turned and looked at him as if he had asked for both their kidneys. “After all he’s done, left to me we have been too kind to him. I say we...” “That’s enough.”

Lady Chance stopped the little argument. “Trask has been dealt with. We have a major concern coming from one of the kingdoms to the west.” “That has got to be Zorak.”One of the elders opined. “Precisely.” She nodded. “Should we bring him in?” Lady Chance chuckled. “I doubt if you would be able to bring him in.” “I beg your pardon my Lady?” “You heard me alright.” The three elders looked at themselves in utter shock and confusion.

“So there is indeed magic that can challenge that of the imperial court and you my lady?” “Yes a host of them. There is a unique type of magic in Zorak yet to be harnessed. It’s like the bearer does not know he/she has it. I used to think it was the king but something really is not adding up.” “That’s why I think we should try and stop the king before he grows too powerful.” “No we need the king.” She intercepted sharply. “My lady if...” the three elders started to speak all at the same time each trying to voice out his thought but she interrupted them all.

“The king is looking for the breath of kings as we speak.” She told them hoping to get a positive reaction from them but she had forgotten that they were not on the same page and her plans were at the time known to her alone. “All the more reason he has to be stopped. If he lays his hands on the breath of kings, he would become unstoppable and you know it. “He won’t be able to harness the power of the breath of kings. There are only two people who can do that. One is dead and the other has not been heard of for over three decades now and besides there are too many people looking for the breath of kings who is to say he would be the one to find it.” She sounded very confident.

“Well he has an army and that most definitely gives him an edge over all the others.” The elders told her. “We’ll deal with the king when the time is right. I don’t believe I have to remind you that the king has magic that is possible powerful than mine and consequently, yours as well which I gave you.” She was referring to SA one of the elders that was used to taking matters into his own hands.

“Right now we’ll just have to follow the king’s activities as closely as we can.” “I thought the breath of kings was claimed by the outer realm.” KIN said. “Yes since the great fire and is still there.” Lady Chance answered him. “So why is the king destroying villages and innocent lives in search of it?” RA asked. “He is not looking for the breath of kings in those villages. He is looking for a way to travel to the outer realm.” “What way?” SA asked. “There is on old priestess with the magical abilities to transport people into the outer realm. I believe the king is looking for her.”

“Well we can help with that can’t we?” “Of course we can and I know where she is as we speak but we won’t.” “My Lady, the Outlands are...” “I know but sometimes a token is required for the greater good.” “We can’t just stand by and watch him slaughter innocent people.” SA told her. “Yes we can. The imperial court is not a saviour as people wrongly think. We only serve to ensure that no one gets too powerful and besides the brothers of death would soon take interest in the king’s activities. Now if you would excuse me.” She walked away from the elders who watched he in bewilderment.

“I never believed she could be this cold.” SA said without showing any emotion. “There is something about the king... I can’t quite put my finger on it.” KIN said. “Whenever talk about him is brought up, she either turns blue or try to take our minds away from him.” RA added. They were commonly referred to as the SAKINRA of the Imperial court and they took care of things in the Imperial court whenever the Lady Chance decides to visit the visible world of feeble humans. That is “To get first hand information” She would always tell them but recently, they had begun to suspect her visits. She would always tell them whenever she was going but this time and by all indications, she has gone on such a visit but what was surprising was that she did not tell them. The Lady Chance had created the SAKINRA AND could return them back to their lowly states with much less than flexing two fingers so they respected all her decisions.   

The Spiros could not see well at night so they made the most of the day to travel and cover as much as they could in their journey. This group was about fifteen and as they fearlessly walked along the woods, they came across a cave and decided to rest there and wait for cover of night fall to look for more human beings to clone. They found the cave to be different for it was not just a single cave as it had many other caves within itself.

It was the perfect home away from the shadow territory which they had left behind. How were they to know that the caves they had just inherited were referred to as the whispering caves.

Meanwhile, Dexagon was still furious that he could not complete his visit to the whispering caves and he sent out scouts after his return home to hunt down and finish off whatever was left of Raven and his former Captain after the Fluke’s explosion. He was certain that they did not die of the explosion and fearing another attack having lost almost all his men, he retreated back to Zorak and intensified his search for the priestess that could lead him to the breath of kings.

Raven on the other hand sneezed and woke up only to find himself in a wide pit not more than nine feats deep where Pavalon had hid him. The first thing he said much to Pavalon’s disappointment was – “Did we get him?” Pavalon looked at him pitifully and frowned at him then said. “The perfect question should be did he get us? We were lucky I did not count on him bringing Flukes with him to the whispering cave, we don’t usually carry them along. That as well as a dragon showing up.” “That was the best chance we could possibly ever get in trying to kill the bastard.” He sighed. “So what now?” “Come on we can take shelter at the whispering caves for now.” Pavalon told him.

He helped Raven up to his feet and they started heading for the whispering caves.