Joshua: Chapter 1

So here is the first chapter of one of my longer projects

   The sunlight broke through the trees casting many oddly shaped patches of light across the forest floor. Many insects crawled around doing the normal work of collecting food and building homes. Others bugs flew around the trees collecting pollen. Here and there a small group of deer could be seen hunting for food. A small dirt path wound its way through the many trees. It was the only path from the village of Lear to the village of Nathilbrook. And it was on this path that the wyan* Elkií was walking. This would have been a very odd sight for those living in that area for since Gartang became king of the humans, the wyans no longer lived with them. The wyans did not trust Gartang as king and refused to live under. The two races now lived almost entirety separately.

   Until Gartang had seized power of the humans four of the five races of Chalmos had lived in the same lands. The Dran were the only race that had lived entirely isolated. But since Gartang became king all races began to live isolated.

   Gartang many believe was once one of the Elect, but for some reason desired to rule the humans and all others. He persecuted all who believed in the Almighty with a horrible vengeance. He committed many unspeakable acts of evil against them. He ruled the rest of the people with and iron grip. The size his armies surpassed all human armies before.

   Elkií was one of the few wyans left in human lands. Elkií himself was employed by the king to hunt down those wanted by the law. Although he served the king he did not respect him at all. He secretly believed in the Almighty. The main reason he served the king is that he got to make use of extraordinary combat skills. Few humans could stand up to a wyan in combat. He was sent on many missions to kill those ordered to be killed by the king.

   He was on one of those missions as he walked on the small forest path. The mission he was on though had him confused. He was being sent to Nathilbrook to find and kill a boy of the age of sixteen. The part that confused him was that the boy had the largest bounty ever placed on his head. The king had given special orders to many bounty hunters promising unimaginable wealth to the one who killed him.

   As he neared Nathilbrook he noticed a small clearing in the trees but it was not the clearing that caught his attention. In the clearing were three men, two of them he immediately recognized as Jair and Relt, two other fellow bounty hunters. As he drew near, Elkií intently watched the other man. Jair and Relt could not seem to touch him yet they were able to block his attacks.

   Realizing that he was about to lose a chance for great wealth, Elkií drew his spear and prepared to attack. When he was ready he rushed at them and let a ferocious yell. When Jair and Relt heard the yell and the wyan coming at them, they both immediately turned to look at him and instantly the other man struck. He beheaded one and stabbed the other through the back. As soon as he had done this he whirled around ready to defend himself if Elkií should attack him. The speed at which he had done this greatly surprised Elkií. Only twice before had he seen this kind of speed in combat. And those were both ones of The Elect.

   The man stood there waiting for Elkií to attack. Instead Elkií studied the man. He wore a ranger’s cloak that had many patches on it that were very poorly sewn in. Also he wore hood that fallowed the same suit. He held in his hand and carried a bow across his back. When he looked at his face Elkií realized that this was the one he was after. The boy was about sixteen or seventeen and had the bluest eyes Elkií had ever seen. He also noticed the great amazement, wonder, and fear in the boy’s eyes. Then he saw a glimmer on the boy’s forehead and suddenly everything became clear to Elkií. The boy standing in front of him was one of The Elect. The sight completely stunned him. All he could do was stand there, look at the sign of the Absolute and wonder.

   Realizing that the wyan had figured out who he was, the boy took a look at him, decided against attacking and immediately ran of into the forest.

   Suddenly Elkií snapped out of it but then the boy was far off in the forest.

   “How could I do this?” thought Elkií. “All these years looking for the one and then as soon as I finally find him, I let him go. I must find him! I can’t fail too much depends on him.”

   He immediately started running in the direction the boy ran.

*******

   Joshua was running for his life. Many times in his life he had come across many thing that other people would never see in many lifetimes, but never had he expected to be chased by a wyan. He never even knew they existed. In his mind they were nothing more than legends like Elves and Dwarfs. This unexpected revelation began to spark questions within him. If wyans were real did the Dran also exist? And Dratashck? What about many of the others races said just to be legends. Were they real?

   While he was thinking these thoughts and many other of the sort, Joshua was not looking where he was running. He did not see the group of soldiers coming towards him until too late.

   He collided with leader and collapsed, stunned to the ground due to impact of the armor against his body. The man whom had collided with stood over him and pointed his sword at Joshua’s throat said with a sneer,

   “Thought you could get away from us you little imp? If it was up to me you would pay right here for all the men you have killed and all you have stolen if it was up to me, but it is the king’s will that you be brought to him, but mark my words you try to escape and I will kill you and tell the king whatever I please. Understand!?”

   Before Joshua could say a word, an arrow sprouted from the soldier’s head. The soldier looked at it for a second with horror and pain in his eyes and then collapsed to the ground with a thud. Immediately after his body hit the ground, the four other soldiers grabbed Joshua and began running for their lives carrying him. However, due to his weight they could not seem to out run the archer, and he kept picking them off one by one until only one was left.

   As soon as he realized he was the only one left he decided that he must kill the boy quickly before the archer got him. He threw him to the ground and raised his hand to slay the boy, but as he lifted his hand another hand grabbed his own and quickly pulled back jerking the soldiers hands into an extremely painful position. Before he could react he felt a sharp pain thrust into his back and he fell dead.

   When Joshua recovered from being thrown on the ground, he looked up and there was the wyan whom he had run from.

   “Are you going to run again?” the wyan asked casually.

   “I don’t get it. I thought that you were going to kill me and then you killed those men and not me. Why?”

   “I know who and what you are,” said the wyan looking at the mark of the Absolute on the boy’s forehead.

   “And what exactly is that?”

   “One of the chosen.”

   Joshua gave the wyan a puzzled look, which confused Elkií.

   “Why does he look like he has no idea what I am talking about? He is a member of the Elect so why does he not appear to know what that means?”

   “Look I can help you. I know other who are like you who have been given the same powers as you.”

   “What do you mean ‘powers’?”

   “That must wait for later. We must leave before more soldiers arrive. Come with me now and I can help you become the person you were made to be.”

   Something inside Joshua instantly revolted against the idea of traveling around with a wyan would could at any moment turn him in, but as he looked into the wyan’s large black eyes he knew that he could trust Elkií with his life.


Wyans

·      Most live in large city in the trees.

·      Normally are ruled by chieftains.

·      Have had very few members of the Elect. (the people chosen by the absolute)

·      Are known as the most powerful of the races due to the brute strength of a single wyan.

·      Preferred weapons are crossbows and a spear with spikes covering it.

·      Average life span is 534 years.

·      Even with their long lifespan there are the less wyans than any other race.

·      Physical appearance:

§   Normally about six and a half feet tall. However there are dwarf wyans that are just called dwarfs for short.

§  Are covered in shaggy fur, which is normally light brown but can be anywhere from very light brown to black.

Have large powerful claws.