[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.”His father smiled at his rapt attention and fondly recalled the times he and the other shang’gomagarr had told the children stories of the dor’gungarr.“It states that this creature attacked our ancestors without cause and that, although they fought valiantly alongside the dor’gungarr, they were eventually overwhelmed, as every warrior who fell made its army stronger.It gave our ancestors a choice: they could either serve or be killed down to the last woman and child.They chose to serve.”Asteroth looked confused.“Serve? I don’t understand.”F’lar motioned to Elizabeth since she had to explain the concept to him as well.“It is called slavery in the Kingdom.It is when a person is seen as property, an object that is owned by another.Slaves do whatever they are told or they are tortured, sometimes even killed.To kill a slave is seen the same as breaking a pot or plate.”Asteroth’s eyes widened with rage.“What?! How can this be allowed?!”She retreated at the outburst, and F’lar intercepted his son as he advanced.“It is an abnormal custom granted, but—”“It is no custom! It is wrong, Father! And to think our ancestors were treated so.so.For the first time since hearing of the human invasion, I am glad that they are coming.I will butcher their army, and when I’m done, I’ll march on their cities.They are.Those people are evil, and I’ll exterminate them like the vermin they are,” he said, his black eyes mad with fury.“Still your anger!” hissed his father as guards came rushing onto the balcony, axes drawn.It was only when he tried that he realised he couldn’t calm down.Every muscle in his body craved the blood of his enemies as some twitched and others contracted.“Father, I can’t,” he said, his lips drawn back, exposing his wide array of fanglike teeth.One of the guards, a man from Tribe Ur’ak, touched his shoulder out of concern when he lashed out.Asteroth barely managed to close his fist in time, letting his talons dig into his hand instead of the man’s chest.Bones cracked beneath his fist, and the guard crashed hard into the opposite wall, injured but alive.Elizabeth finished casting her spell before anyone could really react to what was happening.There were no visible effects, but she knew it had worked as Asteroth slowly started to settle down.He shook his head.“What just—”She stepped out from behind F’lar.“It was one of the first spells I composed as a child.My father has always been quick to anger and would then often do things he later regretted.The spell clears the mind of emotion for a brief moment.Not powerful enough to change thought or intent, but quite useful to stop panic or.rage.”“Thank you.I don’t know what happened.It was like I lost control of myself.” He knelt by the injured man.“I’m sorry.brother.E’lir I heard something crack when I struck him.”She didn’t even need to check the man.She had seen enough wounds and learned more about yog’mur anatomy during the war than she had thought possible.“He’ll be fine.You cracked, perhaps broke a few ribs, most likely the former.Worst case, a bone pierced his secondary heart; his primary should be fine.Given he rests and doesn’t overexert himself, he’ll be fully healed in a month or so.But he should wait for me at my house just to be sure.”Asteroth helped the man to his feet, and he left with the other guards after he had assured his Chieftain that he was all right.“I think it is time to finally have that assembly I’ve been threatening to have for weeks now.Tomorrow, we discuss the future of our race.”The room was silent as their leader entered and took his place at the flat end of the enormous semicircular table in the otherwise empty room.Twelve others sat around the circumference of the table, each in the throne of their respective tribes, save for three of them.G’nar, F’lar, and Elizabeth sat in chairs crafted from cre’per’um.“I have called this assembly to discuss various pressing matters.Now as you can see, I commanded each chieftain to attend.Tribe Mu’lor selected Ra’lak as their new chieftain as theirs was killed by Nor’wak To’nul during the war.And I have chosen U’nark to represent Tribe U’nor,” said Asteroth as he first motioned to a man sitting in a throne made from animal bones, then to U’nark in his throne of cre’per’um, trimmed and decorated with gold and silver.“I want to make something very clear, though.I have only allowed you to keep your positions as chieftains thus far to help your tribes adjust.”If any of them objected, they kept it to themselves as he continued, “Despite this, you have let rivalries lead to disputes, some of which have even claimed lives.This is unacceptable, and henceforth, you will afford each other some respect.I now realise it was a mistake to let you keep your former positions, as this was the old way.We are no longer separate tribes, but one nation, and as such, we no longer need chieftains.”This brought about an air of nervousness, but none made a sound as he added, “I do not mean that you are no longer important.We do, however, need to change the way our people think, and to do that, I need you.Most of you led your former tribes for decades, and they trust and respect you.I will lead and you will follow, and in turn so will they.“Now with that said, I am sure you have noticed I have also asked my brother G’nar, my father F’lar, and our healer E’lir to attend.I have done so because they all play crucial roles among our people.What is decided within this room will change the yog’murgarr, and it is up to us to make sure it is for the better and not for the worse.”U’nark lifted his hand.“If there are to be no more chieftains, what do we call you?”“Just Asteroth is fine.”There was a murmur and F’lar said, “We can’t allow that, my son.You now lead all the tri—I mean all of our people.You need a title that conveys respect; not just among our people, but among the other nations, as well.”There was a general mutter of agreement, and he sighed.“Very well.What would you prefer to call me?”“What about Tsa’rog?” Everyone turned to Elizabeth, and she added, “According to the tome we found, that is what a leader was called when the yog’murgarr were still an united people.Asteroth waited for any objection, then said, “It is settled then, my title will be Tsa’rog.Any other concerns?”Ra’lak raised his hand.“I’ve only heard rumours about the book E’lir mentioned.As I understand it, it is written in a foreign tongue and has yet to be fully deciphered?”“Yes, but the language is not too foreign; it is written in what appears to be ancient Yog’mur.”“None the less, would it not be faster if you just read it? You do know all languages after all,” pointed out the former chieftain.Asteroth shook his head.“I can only speak all languages; I can not read them.Otherwise I would not have had to suffer through my father’s lessons on how to read.” Ra’lak nodded, seemingly content with the answer, so Asteroth continued.“We are faced with somewhat of a problem.It seems that a human army is amassing with the singular purpose of killing every last one of our kind.”“It is hardly cause for concern,” said the former chieftain of Tribe Mu’lor.“We fortify our position and wait.We are high up the Viper Valley; not only will we have the higher ground, but they will be on unfamiliar terrain.”Asteroth sat back in the dark linwon throne, keeping his wings tightly folded against his back.“Normally, I’d agree, but I was told that this coming attack is going to be unlike anything we’ve seen before.It won’t just be a few men on foot or horseback, but tens of thousands of them with great war machines capable of hurling rocks from great distances [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]