Ar’Zul

A MORNING WITHOUT WAR

Chapter Thirty-Three

For the first time in what felt like an age, Ar’Zul awoke without the sound of war drums.

No horns echoed through the jungle.

No scouts sprinted through the trees carrying news of another raid.

No smoke rose from burning villages.

Instead, the jungle breathed.

Morning mist drifted between the enormous trees while birds filled the canopy with songs that had long been drowned out by battle. The waterfalls flowing from the Panther cliffs shimmered beneath the rising sun, and the ocean surrounding the island reflected streaks of gold instead of storm clouds.

Peace still felt unfamiliar.

But it was beginning to feel real.

⸻

High within the ancient trees of the Gorilla Clan, Gorak stood beside the enormous body of a three-horned boar.

The creature was massive.

Nearly the size of a small hut.

Dark brown hide covered its muscular body, while three ivory horns curved from its skull.

It had taken Gorak nearly an hour to bring it down.

Not because it had been stronger than him—

But because it had refused to stop charging.

One of the younger Gorilla hunters laughed.

“You could have picked something smaller.”

Gorak adjusted the thick rope wrapped around the beast.

“I could have.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

A faint smile crossed Gorak’s scarred face.

“Because Kaela would say I was getting old.”

The hunters burst into laughter.

Another warrior grinned.

“So this isn’t really for the clans.”

Gorak looked down at the enormous boar.

“It feeds both.”

Then he lifted the entire animal across his broad shoulders with one arm.

The younger warriors watched in amazement.

Even after losing his left arm…

He was still Gorak.

⸻

The journey to Panther territory was peaceful.

Months ago…

Such a sight would have been impossible.

Panther sentries watched from the cliffs.

But instead of drawing bows…

They waved.

“Gorak!”

The Gorilla leader looked up.

One of the guards smiled.

“Bringing another feast?”

Gorak nodded.

“If your cooks are capable.”

The guard laughed.

“We’ll let Lady Kaela decide that.”

Rope lifts lowered from the cliffs.

Several Panther warriors helped pull the enormous boar upward.

One of them shook his head.

“I swear these things get bigger every time.”

Gorak answered simply,

“I hunt farther.”

⸻

At that same moment…

Far above the cliffs…

Kaela completed her morning training.

Her curved blade sliced through the air.

SHHHHNK!

A wooden practice post split cleanly in half.

She exhaled slowly.

Sweat glistened across the scars on her shoulders.

One of the younger Panther warriors approached.

“You’ve already been training since before sunrise.”

Kaela wiped her forehead.

“Then you should have joined me.”

The young warrior laughed nervously.

“I enjoy sleeping.”

Kaela smirked.

“I remember when I did too.”

She sheathed her blade.

Before she could leave…

A child came sprinting toward the training grounds.

“Leader Kaela!”

She turned.

“What is it?”

The child pointed excitedly toward the entrance of the city.

“Gorak’s here!”

Kaela raised an eyebrow.

“He brought something huge!”

Another child shouted,

“It’s got three horns!”

A third added,

“I think it tried to eat him!”

Kaela laughed.

“I doubt that.”

She started walking toward the city gate.

⸻

The Panther capital had changed.

Stone walkways that once held only Panther merchants now welcomed Gorilla craftsmen.

Market stalls displayed goods from both clans.

Fresh fruit.

Stone carvings.

Medicinal herbs.

Leather armor.

Timber.

Children from both clans darted through the streets chasing one another between the market stalls.

Some wore Panther colors.

Some wore Gorilla colors.

Most mixed both.

None seemed to notice.

Or care.

Kaela stopped at the city gate.

There stood Gorak.

Beside him…

The enormous three-horned boar.

Kaela folded her arms.

“You always have to make an entrance.”

Gorak looked down at the animal.

“I thought it was modest.”

She laughed.

“Modest?”

“You’ve carried trees that were smaller.”

He shrugged.

“It looked hungry.”

Kaela looked at him for a long moment before shaking her head.

“You hunted this yourself?”

“Yes.”

“For tonight?”

Gorak nodded.

“If you’ll have dinner with me.”

For just a heartbeat…

Kaela’s normally composed expression softened.

“I’d like that.”

⸻

The rest of the day passed unlike any either of them could remember.

There were no battle plans.

No reports of attacks.

No emergency councils.

Only life.

Together they walked through the city.

They helped repair the roof of an elderly Panther couple whose home had been damaged during the last storm.

Gorak held the massive support beams in place with one arm while builders secured them.

The old woman smiled warmly.

“You’ve become useful.”

Kaela laughed.

“Don’t tell him that too often.”

Gorak grunted.

“I was useful before.”

The old man chuckled.

“Not with houses.”

⸻

Later…

A group of children gathered around them.

One little Gorilla boy tugged gently on Gorak’s belt.

“Leader Gorak?”

“Hm?”

“Is it true you fought ten Snake warriors by yourself?”

Gorak looked toward Kaela.

She crossed her arms.

“Tell him the truth.”

Gorak answered,

“It was eight.”

The children gasped.

Kaela interrupted.

“And he fell into a river halfway through.”

The children looked back at Gorak.

“…Did you?”

He sighed.

“Yes.”

The children burst into laughter.

Another little Panther girl looked toward Kaela.

“Leader…”

“Yes?”

“Is Gorak really as grumpy as everyone says?”

Kaela pretended to think.

She looked directly at Gorak.

“Hmm…”

“Very.”

Even Gorak laughed.

⸻

As the afternoon faded into evening…

Neither of them noticed.

The enormous boar had spent the entire day slowly roasting above a massive stone fire pit in the center of the city.

The scent drifted through every street.

Families gathered.

Musicians played.

Children danced.

For the first time…

The feast belonged to everyone.

Not one clan.

All of them.

⸻

Night settled over the Panther capital.

The stars shone brightly overhead.

Lanterns flickered across the cliffs.

Gorak and Kaela finally sat together near the enormous roasting fire.

Large wooden platters overflowed with roasted meat, jungle fruits, herbs, and fresh bread.

Kaela sliced a piece of the boar.

She smiled after tasting it.

“I’ll admit it.”

Gorak looked over.

“It was worth carrying.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

She laughed softly.

They ate in comfortable silence while watching the celebration around them.

Neither of them realized how much they had begun looking forward to moments like these.

⸻

Deep Beneath the Merchant City

Far below the celebrations…

Silence ruled another chamber.

The room was carved from ancient stone.

Roots from the great trees pushed through the ceiling.

Oil lamps burned quietly.

Ancient scrolls covered every table.

At the center sat the former Snake King.

Now…

Simply Zahren.

The glowing blue Tide Stone rested safely inside its sealed container nearby.

The ancient text lay open before him.

His amber eyes moved carefully across symbols thousands of years old.

Outside…

Eight elite warriors stood guard.

Four Gorilla warriors.

Four Panther warriors.

None spoke.

Their orders from Gorak were simple.

Zahren was never to leave the room unguarded.

Not for a single moment.

Inside…

Zahren rubbed his temples.

“There has to be something…”

He turned another page.

Nothing.

Another.

Nothing.

He frowned.

“I know we’re missing it.”

His fingers paused.

Then…

A memory surfaced.

⸻

Months earlier…

Before the Hollow had fallen.

Before everything had changed.

He had stood with his advisors inside the ancient chamber.

Veyra had been studying the final page.

Narek had paced impatiently.

Sura had remained strangely quiet.

Then…

Sura had spoken.

“There are symbols here that don’t belong.”

Zahren remembered dismissing her.

“They’re decorative.”

“No.”

She had pointed toward the corner of the ancient text.

“They’re incomplete.”

Veyra had leaned closer.

“Almost as if…”

She paused.

“…this isn’t the whole map.”

Narek frowned.

“What do you mean?”

Sura had traced the markings with one finger.

“These lines continue…”

She looked toward the blank edge of the parchment.

“…off the page.”

Silence had filled the chamber.

Veyra whispered,

“It was larger once.”

Zahren’s younger self had stared.

“You believe part of it is missing?”

Neither advisor answered immediately.

Finally…

Sura nodded.

“I think this scroll was torn.”

⸻

Back in the present…

Zahren slowly sat upright.

His heart began beating faster.

“It wasn’t complete…”

He hurried back to the edge of the parchment.

For the first time…

He truly looked.

Tiny fibers.

Uneven edges.

Ancient tears hidden beneath centuries of age.

His breathing slowed.

“…It’s missing.”

He whispered to himself,

“The ancient text isn’t complete.”

His eyes widened further.

“If the map was torn apart…”

He looked toward the sealed Tide Stone.

“…then someone still has the missing pieces.”

Outside the chamber…

The guards remained unaware.

Above them…

The feast continued.

Children laughed.

Music echoed across the cliffs.

Gorak and Kaela shared stories beneath the stars.

For the first time…

The jungle truly felt alive.

Yet deep beneath their feet…

Another mystery had revealed itself.

The Tide Stone had never been the entire secret.

It was only the beginning.

And somewhere within Ar’Zul…

The missing pages of the ancient text were still waiting to be found.