Ar’Zul

THE THREE GODS OF AR’ZUL BOOK ONE: THE WAR OF THE HOLLOW ⸻ PROLOGUE THE ISLAND BEYOND THE DEEP Before the clans learned to hate one another, there was only the island. The ancient people of Ar’Zul believed the island had been created by the gods. A massive jungle rose from the center of the world like a living mountain. Trees stretched higher than clouds. Their roots were wider than houses, and some were so old that entire villages had been built inside their hollow trunks. Waterfalls poured from cliffs into rivers that disappeared beneath the roots. Mist hung permanently over the jungle, and strange lights sometimes moved between the trees at night. But beyond the jungle was the ocean. No one knew where it ended. Ar’Zul was surrounded by a vast mystical sea of dark blue water. Even on the clearest days, no one could see the bottom. The deepest divers of the clans had tried to reach it. None had ever succeeded. The ocean was deeper than any person on the island could swim. The elders said ancient creatures lived beneath it. The priests said the ocean hid the bones of forgotten gods. Some believed the island itself floated above something alive. And sometimes, when the moon was full, the ocean moved when there was no wind. Upon this island lived three great clans. The Gorilla Clan lived within the trees. The Panther Clan ruled the cliffs. The Snake Clan lived within the hallowed trees. Three clans. Three gods. Three ways of life. And for generations, they had been at war. ⸻ ACT ONE THE THREE BLOODS OF THE JUNGLE CHAPTER ONE THE FIST OF MBAGA The drums began before sunrise. BOOM. A pause. BOOM. BOOM. The ancient trees trembled. High above the jungle floor, the Gorilla Clan awakened. Their villages were built among enormous trees. Wooden platforms wrapped around massive trunks. Bridges stretched between branches. Rope ladders hung from the canopy, connecting one settlement to another. The higher they lived, the closer they believed they were to their god. Mbaga. The Great Silverback. To the Gorilla Clan, Mbaga was more than a god. He was the first ancestor. The protector of family. The keeper of strength. The guardian of the jungle. According to their oldest legends, Mbaga once stood upon the highest tree in the world and struck the earth with his fists. The impact created the mountains. His breath became the wind. His blood became the rivers. And his fur became the shadows beneath the trees. The Gorilla Clan believed every warrior carried a piece of Mbaga within them. But strength did not simply mean physical power. A true warrior needed the strength to protect the clan. The courage to face death. The wisdom to control anger. The loyalty to protect family. And the patience to wait for the right moment. At the center of the village stood Gorak. He was massive, even among the Gorilla Clan. His body was covered in scars. Dark gray-black fur covered his shoulders, back, and arms. His short black hair was braided with bone beads. His jaw was broad and powerful, and his deep brown eyes seemed to carry years of anger. A scar ran across his right eyebrow. Another crossed his chest. Another stretched across his ribs. A massive stone-headed hammer rested against his shoulder. Before him, a group of young warriors struggled through training. One fell. Gorak looked down at him. “Get up.” The young warrior struggled. “I—I cannot.” Gorak’s voice deepened. “Then the jungle will bury you.” The drums continued. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. The young warrior stood. Gorak nodded. “Again.” The warrior attacked. Gorak moved once. The young warrior flew backward into the dirt. The surrounding warriors laughed. Gorak did not. “Strength is not the ability to destroy your enemy,” he said. “Strength is the ability to stand when everyone else has fallen.” The drums stopped. Silence filled the canopy. Then a messenger arrived. The Panther Clan had attacked another Gorilla hunting party. Three warriors were dead. Gorak’s hand tightened around his hammer. The old hatred returned. “Prepare the warriors,” he said. A younger warrior stared at him. “For war?” Gorak looked toward the distant cliffs. “For justice.” But deep inside, Gorak knew the truth. He had been waiting for an excuse. ⸻ CHAPTER TWO THE SHADOW OF KAL’ZAR Far above the jungle, the wind screamed across the cliffs. WHOOOOOSH. Mist rose from waterfalls and disappeared into the jungle below. The Panther Clan moved silently through the stone paths. At the edge of a cliff stood Kaela. She possessed an athletic, human-like body with the sleek strength of a panther. Her black hair was braided tightly for battle. Golden-green eyes with feline pupils watched the jungle below. Dark markings surrounded her eyes. A long scar crossed her right shoulder. Smaller scars covered her hands from years of climbing the cliffs. A curved blade rested against her hip. Below her, the jungle stretched endlessly. Beyond it, the mystical ocean glittered beneath the morning sun. Kaela closed her eyes. The wind moved around her. Hhhhhhhhhhhhhh… A priest stood behind her. “Do you hear him?” Kaela did not answer. The priest smiled. “Kal’Zar walks through the darkness.” Kaela opened her eyes. “I hear the wind.” “And what does the wind say?” Kaela looked toward the jungle. “That someone is coming.” Below, a group of Gorilla warriors moved through the trees. Kaela’s face hardened. The priest whispered: “The Gorillas.” Kaela’s hand moved toward her blade. The memory of her family returned. A burning village. The sound of screaming. Gorilla warriors moving through smoke. Kaela had been young. Too young to understand why the war had begun. But she had never forgotten the faces of the dead. Kaela looked toward the Gorilla territory. “They always come back.” The priest nodded. “Then let them.” Kaela turned away from the cliff. “No.” Her eyes narrowed. “We go to them.” ⸻ CHAPTER THREE THE VOICE BENEATH THE ROOTS Deep beneath the jungle, where sunlight never reached, the Snake Clan moved through tunnels beneath the ancient trees. Water dripped from the roots. Drip. Drip. Drip. The sound echoed through the darkness. At the center of the Hollow stood the Serpent King. He was tall and lean, with a human-like body covered in dark green scales across his neck, jaw, forearms, and spine. His eyes were serpentine, with narrow vertical pupils. Long black hair fell around his shoulders. Sharp fangs showed beneath his cracked serpent mask. A deep scar ran across his face. His dark armor was made from scale plates and black metal. He moved with unnatural silence. Before him burned a green flame. The flame moved without wind. A Snake priest knelt before him. “The Gorillas are preparing for war.” The Serpent King did not move. “And the Panthers?” “They prepare as well.” The Serpent King smiled. “Good.” The priest looked up. “Good?” The Serpent King walked toward the roots. The roots moved. CRRRRKKKK. The priest stared. “And we?” The Serpent King turned toward him. “We are patient.” A deep sound moved beneath the ground. THOOM. The green flame flickered. The Serpent King looked toward the surface. “Let them fight.” ⸻ CHAPTER FOUR THE FIRST STORM The war began beneath a black sky. Thunder rolled over the jungle. BOOOOOOM. The Gorilla Clan descended from the trees. The Panther Clan waited upon the cliffs. Then the first arrow flew. THWIP! A Gorilla warrior fell. The Gorillas roared. “RAAAAAAAH!” They charged. The Panthers disappeared. Then struck from the side. The battle spread through the jungle. Gorilla clubs crashed against Panther blades. CRACK! CLANG! THUD! Rain began falling. Lightning split the sky. KRAKOOOOM! Gorak fought through the mud. Kaela moved between the warriors like a shadow. They saw one another across the battlefield. Gorak raised his hammer. Kaela drew her blade. They charged. The hammer struck. BOOOOM! Kaela dodged. Her blade cut across Gorak’s armor. He roared. She moved again. They fought beneath the storm. Strength against speed. Fury against precision. Then lightning struck the mountain above them. KRAKOOOOOOOM! The explosion threw them apart. Neither had won. Neither had lost. And then the Snake Clan attacked. They emerged from the shadows. Poisoned blades. Hidden arrows. Silent warriors. The Gorilla and Panther clans were exhausted. The Snake Clan had waited. The attack became chaos. Three clans fought beneath the storm. By dawn, the battlefield was silent. The Gorillas had lost hundreds. The Panthers had lost hundreds. The Snake Clan had also suffered devastating losses. No clan had won. No god had claimed victory. But the old war had changed forever. ⸻ THE ALLIANCE OF FANGS AND CLAWS CHAPTER FIVE WE MUST SPEAK Three nights after the battle, a messenger arrived in Gorilla territory. The message was short. We must speak. Gorak traveled to the Heart of Ar’Zul. Kaela was already waiting. For several moments, they stared at one another. Gorak spoke first. “We have killed each other long enough.” Kaela’s eyes narrowed. “You speak as if we were the only ones responsible.” “Your clan attacked ours.” “Your clan invaded ours.” The jungle was silent around them. Then Kaela looked toward the dark trees. “And while we fought…” Gorak’s expression changed. “…the Snakes watched.” Neither spoke. The truth was undeniable. The Snake Clan had studied both armies. They had gathered information. They had prepared weapons. They had been waiting for the two great clans to destroy one another. Gorak looked at the map Kaela had brought. “They have been expanding.” “For years,” Kaela answered. Gorak’s hand closed into a fist. “Then we end them.” Kaela looked at him. “Destroy them?” “No.” Gorak pointed toward the Hollow. “We take their land.” ⸻ CHAPTER SIX THE DIVISION OF THE HOLLOW The plan was made. The Gorilla Clan would attack from the east. The Panther Clan would descend from the cliffs. Together, they would surround the Snake Clan. The Snake Clan would be defeated. The survivors would be imprisoned. Their territory would be divided. The eastern half would belong to the Gorillas. The western half would belong to the Panthers. Kaela studied Gorak. “Why should I trust you?” Gorak answered: “You shouldn’t.” Kaela almost smiled. “Then what do I trust?” Gorak looked directly into her eyes. “If either clan betrays the other, the remaining clan destroys the traitor.” The two leaders placed their hands upon the ancient stone. Gorak spoke: “By the strength of the Great Silverback…” Kaela continued: “By the shadow of the Night Panther…” Together: “We will bring the Snake Clan to its knees.” But far beneath the Hollow… someone was listening. ⸻ CHAPTER SEVEN THE SERPENT KING SMILES A Snake spy entered the temple. “They have united.” The Serpent King looked up. “They will attack the Hollow.” “Good.” The spy hesitated. “They plan to imprison us.” The Serpent King smiled. “And divide our land.” The Serpent King walked toward the great serpent statue. “Good.” The spy looked confused. The Serpent King placed his hand against the statue. The roots began to move. CRRRRKKKKK. “They believe they are coming to conquer us.” The Serpent King looked into the darkness. “But they are coming exactly where we want them.” ⸻ ACT THREE THE HOLLOW TRAP CHAPTER EIGHT THE GORILLA ARMY ENTERS The jungle was too quiet. Gorak noticed it immediately. No birds. No insects. No movement. Only the sound of hundreds of warriors marching. THUD. THUD. THUD. The Gorilla Clan entered the Hollow. Gorak raised his hammer. “Tonight, the Hollow falls.” The warriors roared. “RAAAAAAAH!” High above them, Snake warriors watched. They had known. They had been waiting. The Gorillas marched deeper. The roots grew closer. The darkness grew thicker. Then— WHISTLE. A poison dart struck a warrior’s neck. He fell. Then another dart flew. Then another. Then hundreds. The jungle exploded with movement. Snake warriors emerged from the trees. Others rose from hidden holes. The Gorilla Clan was surrounded. “FORM THE CIRCLE!” Gorak roared. The warriors locked shields. Poison darts struck wood. TIK! TIK! TIK! Arrows flew. Blades flashed. Then the ground collapsed. Several Gorilla warriors fell into a pit. The Snake Clan had the advantage. The trap was perfect. ⸻ CHAPTER NINE THE RAGE OF THE SILVERBACK Gorak fell to one knee. A poisoned dart had pierced his shoulder. Another had struck his armor. He pulled them out. The Snake warriors watched. Gorak looked at the blood on the darts. Then he looked into the darkness. “Is that all?” The Snake Clan hesitated. Gorak lifted his hammer. And roared. “RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” The sound shook the Hollow. The Gorilla warriors answered. The roar became thunder. Then they charged. The Snake Clan had expected fear. They found rage. Gorak smashed through the first line of warriors. BOOOOM! The Snake Clan attacked from the sides. The Gorillas turned. Clubs crushed shields. CRACK! The Gorillas tore down barricades. They broke through tunnels. They ripped apart the defenses. The Snake Clan had chosen the battlefield. But they had underestimated the enemy. The Gorillas were not simply strong. They were brutal. They were relentless. And they refused to stop.