Dinavhek- The Fall Read online

  Dinavhek

  The Fall

  Tal'urra Steelfang

  Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Part 1:

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Part 2:

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Part 3:

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Part 4:

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Dedication

  ∞∞∞

  To my gods and my family, thank you for supporting me through this wild journey.

  Prologue

  ∞∞∞

  The oldest legend known to the people of Zarama is that of the creation of the gods Anikasi, the Guardian of the Moon, and Oranuken, the Lord of the Sun. Divided as they are by bitter hatred, the one legend the people of Zarama all share in common is the legend of their Sun and Moon, albeit twisted as it is by those hungry for power over the masses.

  In the beginning, there were three Great Deities that ruled over Zarama; Vanahera, the ever-balanced goddess of nature, by whom the forests, seas, plains, and deserts were all crafted.

  Next was Ytariusabra, God of the Moon.

  It was he who gave the gift of magic to the people, allowing them to take charge of their own destinies and shape the world in ways he would not.

  Finally, there was Alymipatae, Goddess of the Sun. It was she who crafted all of the great races, thus bringing life to the lands created by Vanahera.

  And so these three ruled over Zarama for millennia, never quite agreeing on how best to handle the conflicts between their creations.

  Vanahera, Defender of Men, thought it best to leave them to their own devices. Nature could be both beautiful and hideous, wonderful and cruel, lively and rotting. She saw the best and the worst traits that the people of Zarama had to offer, and so she took it upon herself to defend them to her comrades.

  Heart torn by grief as he was forced to watch his children slay each other, Ytariusabra, Light of the People, could not bring himself to ignore their plight. Neither could fair Alymipatae, Bringer of Justice.

  While Ytariusabra wished to free the people from their own savagery, Alymipatae, feeling as a betrayed parent as she watched her own creations turn upon each other, wanted only to end the savagery – by any means necessary. And so did she decide to purge the world crafted by Vanahera, and begin anew.

  Vanahera pleaded with Alymipatae, willing her to see what beauty there was in the hearts of her creations. But Alymipatae, seeing only imperfections, could not be swayed. She flooded Vanahera's forests, plains, and even deserts, destroying all life – or so she thought.

  Though few in number, the Draevlish – the ancestor linking the elven, dwarven, human, and dagaz together – survived. To the surprise of each of their creators, the Draevlish even managed to thrive in the New World. They managed to find ways to overcome each obstacle set in their path by the capricious Alymipatae.

  Vanahera's heart soared as she watched the Draevlish evolve; as they took to new corners of the world, they slowly began to change in form. At long last, she and Ytariusabra managed to convince Alymipatae to let them be, in favor of observing their continued growth. It seemed as if the gods at last found their peace amongst themselves, but this was only the beginning of yet another great conflict.

  As the new people of Zarama began to form their own lands, and those that accepted Ytariusabra's gift of magic used their abilities to repair some of the damage caused by Alymipatae's flood, the sun goddess had yet another issue to worry about; the birth of her son, Oranuken.

  Ytariusabra, too, had his own child. She was to be known as Anikasi, and she, much like Oranuken, possessed the abilities of her parent.

  Vanahera saw this as a chance to unite her companions. If Anikasi and Oranuken could overcome their parents' differences, the world of Zarama might see a new great age, perhaps a true age of enlightenment.

  Alymipatae wouldn't hear of it; if her son was to someday succeed her as the God of the Sun and Bringer of Justice, he could not be weakened so by the Light of the People – be it Anikasi herself, or her father.

  And so, the sun goddess conspired to put an end to Vanahera's dream by slaying Anikasi before she could inherit all of her father's powers. Ytariusabra, Giver of Magic, knew this day would come. He was ready for her, and defended his daughter with all of his might.

  Their Great Battle nearly destroyed the heavens. The Moon perished, and the Sun dimmed. Both gods were destroyed in the fight, leaving the world of Zarama with their young children to succeed them.

  Unable to restore the brilliant silvery light of her father's Moon, Anikasi was forced to create an entirely new one, which shined even greater in the night sky.

  As for Oranuken, he was able to restore the Sun to its former glory, though his mother's soul was truly gone. He shared with her, in his heart, contempt for the Moon.

  Far from being united, as Vanahera once hoped, the Sun and the Moon held even more hatred for each other than ever before and so, too, did the struggling people of Zarama.

  The Fair Goddess feared that the helpless mortals would soon find themselves in the center of an inevitable war between Anikasi and Oranuken.

  Unfortunately for the people of Zarama, the conflict between the gods proved to be the least of their troubles. As the elves, dwarves, humans, and dagaz grew separate from each other, they began to see only their immense differences, rather than all of the traits they shared in common.

  Before long, the shared history among the people of Zarama became a lost relic, known only to the most ancient of hearts. As each of the gods' creations chose their own path, history was rewritten.

  However, the truth would not remain buried indefinitely. As the people of Zarama began to turn against each other, many more great wars were fought, and entire cultures were eradicated. The dagaz, a shape-shifting race thought to be created by the goddess Anikasi herself, were among those lost civilizations.

  Once thought lost to the world of Zarama, the people known also as the “beast-folk” would begin to resurface, the secret of their disappearance would soon be uncovered, and the world would once again be plunged into chaos.

  Part 1:

  Unrest

  Chapter 1

  Schemes

  ∞∞∞

  Adsuni could almost feel himself being scrutinized. Even his own guards referred to him as a mere boy. Often, the prince was reminded that he was unfit to be the future ruler of Dinavhek, and he found that he couldn't rightly disagree.

  He was possessed of an infinitely gentle disposition, too much so for a man of such noble bearing. The prince tried to imagine himself holding war council meetings, sending men into battle, even ordering public execution of prisoners, and he could not see himself performing a single one of those tasks. For that matter, he couldn't understand how his father was able to do any of that.

  Or, at least, how he had once been able to do any of those things. These days, the king rarely gave any orders at all. The prince supposed this was for the best, as this was the longest period of peace Dinavhek had known in centuries - even if "peace" wasn
't really the right word to describe it.

  He had little to no memory of the most recent war in Dinavhene history, which occurred when he was but a few summers old. His parents carried the people of Dinavhek through the resulting famine, the spread of a handful of diseases, and a few environmental disasters, ranging from the great fire that destroyed thousands of acres of farmland to a severe thunderstorm that assailed the capital city, Aranaot. The people of Dinavhek were a sturdy lot, and under the unwavering guidance of their King and Queen (who would later succumb to the red plague), many of them were able to survive and rebuild.

  The palace of Dinavhek appeared as worn and battle-damaged as the rest of the country, and the prince's private quarters were no exception. He and his father experienced great difficulty maintaining the building, and the only place left in all of Dinavhek that appeared unscathed was their personal family garden.

  Though the war with Takirar ended still within the prince's childhood, every Dinavhene citizen knew that relations between the two countries were less than peaceful. Fancying himself some sort of god, the late king of Takirar did not simply stop at razing their fields, he also set upon the commonfolk with hordes of hideous monsters that were the result of numerous experiments of his.

  These creatures ravaged the countryside like the plague, slaying peasant after peasant, and infesting the wilder lands. Soon, every resident of Dinavhek knew never to leave the limits of civilization after dark.

  Of course, for the prince of Dinavhek, leaving the capital at all was never an option. Though now a young adult, the prince was rarely allowed to even leave his palace. The king, having experienced so much loss in such a short amount of time in his life, was fiercely overprotective of his son and never allowed him to stray beyond their immediate surroundings.

  The prince learned to find comfort and solitude within his home, at least, to the best of his ability. Much like his mother, he enjoyed spending time away from others, and on this day, he intended to do just that – withdraw into his own little world, far removed from the excitement of the city, and the scheming of his councilmen.

  The garden had been the late queen's favorite place in all of Dinavhek, and although her life had long ago been claimed by the plague, her husband and son continued to care for that garden as they had done for her in her final moments.

  It was here that Prince Adsuni often secluded himself, vastly preferring the solitude of the garden to the chaos of the social gatherings he was often expected to attend. His dearest friend, Glanen, lived for these gatherings, and the prince supposed he couldn't fault him for it: After all, he was among the most respected and adored knights among all in Dinavhek, from the lowest of the peasants to the highest members of the ruling council. Wherever he went, he was sure to be the center of attention.

  The prince, on the other hand, felt like an outcast in his own country. Although the people knew of his existence, it was rare for him to socialize with anyone outside of his immediate circle, and when he did leave the palace, he did so only in the company of at least a half dozen guards, and with Glanen often by his side. While the commoners looked at his dear friend with reverence, they frequently turned away from the prince, never truly meeting his gaze.

  And so, he found that he far preferred being left alone, free to explore his own mind, and enjoy the peace and quiet of the empty garden. The only ones who ever joined him were Glanen and, on rare occasion, his father – who usually only stopped by to inform him that Glanen had come by for a visit.

  I wonder what it will be like, the prince thought as he took a seat on a stone bench, facing a small pond that he frequently enjoyed tossing pebbles and spare coins into. What will it be like, when I am king? Will the people still turn away at the mere sight of me? Will I be a worthy successor to my father? Will I live up to my mother's image? They loved her so... if only I possessed her courage!

  The prince reached into his belt pouch and retrieved a copper coin, dull and filthy in comparison to the gold and silver piles he was accustomed to handling. That coin had seen so much more of the world than the prince had, and he had to wonder if he ever would venture outside the limited streets of Aranaot, or if he would remain secluded to the capital for the rest of his life. Surely, other princes were allowed to visit different places. On diplomatic business, certainly, but at least they saw other areas of the world.

  What must it be like, to venture outside of his country's walls? To see and speak with people who seemed so different from himself?

  Adsuni tossed the coin into the pond, wishing that he would, someday, leave Dinavhek altogether, even if it were only for a day or two.

  “An excellent toss, milord!”

  Ah, of course.

  The prince tore his eyes away from the shimmering water, littered as it was with pebbles and coins, to meet the gaze of his dearest friend. “Thank you, Glanen. What brings you here?”

  The knight's customary grin faltered slightly. He rounded the pond, and Adsuni caught a flicker of concern in the young man's amber eyes.

  “My father has been informed that another group have been taken captive. They were caught at the very edge of our border, and according to Prime Minister Hymuse's investigation, grave atrocities have been committed. There are allegations of torture among them, and even attempted murder.”

  “I see... they've become quite bold.”

  Glanen nodded. “Indeed. A man was found near death, on the side of a dirt road several miles west of here. It seems their operations have moved closer to our capital. He was found suffering from a deep puncture wound to his left side, and was brought to one of our healers for recovery and questioning.”

  “And?” Adsuni asked, fearing the answer.

  “He perished before we could learn anything from him.”

  “All of this makes me wonder why they even bother with capturing people in the first place, if they're just going to have them killed later.”

  “Father believes the man knew something important, and perhaps he intended to escape and reveal something his captors did not wish revealed.”

  “Or,” the prince offered, “perhaps he was meant to be a warning – an example, of sorts.”

  “Sound reasoning, my prince! It could very well have been that. I wish we had the chance to learn more from him, but alas, he is no longer with us. It is terrible, just terrible!”

  The prince grimaced. Glanen had a tendency to 'overdo' things sometimes. He knew his friend's heart to be great and generous... if a touch overzealous.

  “It's hard to believe that we won the war with Takirar, only to see our own people turn against each other and commit such heinous acts. It was bad enough when they were taking prisoners from Takirar, but I hear that now, they're even taking in their own people! I suppose it's to be expected, when they're raiding so close to the border, but... well, I feel as if we did not win at all.”

  “And after the king worked so hard for peace,” Glanen lamented. “You would think they've seen their share of blood and death. They must be truly desperate to sink to such lows!”

  “I fear that the peace my parents labored for may come undone, if Takirar decides to retaliate. And, really, I can't even blame them. We don't know how many of these people are from Dinavhek, or from Takirar. We don't know if they're all from this region – they could even be taking prisoners elsewhere and smuggling them in.”

  Glanen shifted uncomfortably.

  “What is it?” the prince asked.

  “Takirar is still tied up in its own recovery, prince, so, I don't think they'd wish to war with us again so quickly. Still...”

  “Yes?”

  “I have heard ill rumors circling about.”

  “Oh?” was all the prince could force himself to say.

  Glanen sighed. “The unrest among our people is far greater than we previously thought. Many of our people are still angry toward Takirar for what they've done to us, and resent the king for negotiating a peace treaty, as opposed to crushing Takirar when we
had the chance. They want revenge, milord.”

  “Revenge! Are they mad? If we warred with Takirar again, the casualties would be – why, they would be – unfathomable! We haven't even recovered from the last war, our people are still starving, healers are in short supply, and they wish to start a new one?”

  “Takirar has taken a new king, and our people feel threatened. They remember what they lost before, and many are of the mindset that if they are to 'go down,' then they should take Takirar with them as payment. They wish to strike while Takirar is vulnerable, and...” Glanen trailed off, clearly reluctant. “Well, it seems some of our, er, comrades are encouraging this mindset. If we seized control of Takirar's land, we would have claim to their steel mines, not to mention the sheer abundance of wild game in their land. It would also mean that one more enemy of ours would be taken down. After the success of the raids, it's hard to blame the common people for thinking that we would be safer if we took down Takirar.”

  “This is utterly absurd! Dinavhek has far too many wounds that still need time to heal, and members of our own council are warmongering? Has my father addressed this? He's been keeping me in the dark about everything. You're the only one who tells me anything these days.”

  Glanen heaved another great sigh. “My father has informed him of all that I have told you, but more than that, I do not know. They... they think him weak. Our people, I mean. Many of them want peace, but just as many want justice for Takirar's wrongdoings. They don't trust your father to represent their interests, and they think him too old, and too frail for leadership.”

  The prince understood their fury. After all, there was no street you can turn down in Dinavhek that did not bear scars of that ugly war. Even the palace, which had been under such heavy assault just shy of two decades ago, showed clear signs of damage. The only place left untouched was the garden, as if it were under some sort of divine protection – which it very well could be, since it housed a shrine devoted to the patron goddess of Dinavhek – Anikasi, Lady of the Moon and Champion of Abilari.