Exiele stood before a giant obsidian gate which would lead him down into the lower sections of the mountain where Reales lived. The huge opening was draped over in neatly wrapped vines, which clutched to the obsidian fencing as if it’s life depended on it. Just beyond the gates reach was a giant staircase which was carved into the mountain itself, each step was jagged and worn after years of storms and unrelenting weather had withered them down.
Reales had said he would get them renovated so many times Exiele had lost count, but he still wished the Elder had followed through. As now whenever a hunter walked down the giant staircase, there was a solid chance a chunk of rock would fall from beneath their feet, and they would collapse miles down before splattering onto the lands far below. So it was a smarter choice to remain as close to the mountain’s wall as possible, that way if you did fall, you would be able to grab hold of the rugged rocks poking out from it’s surface.
There was a much faster way to the lower sections of the mountain, that being the many tunnels and caves which interlock within the innards of the mountain. But these tunnels were strictly for the Elders use only, so there was no way he would manage to get down to Reales that way. There was no avoiding it, he had to go down the staircase. With sweat pouring down his brow, he began his decent. Trailing his hands along the mountains wall, prepared to grab hold of any kind of support in case one of the stairs gave way from beneath him. The trek was long and stressful. At one point nearing the middle mark of the staircase, a few of the steps were missing, leaving Exiele no other option than to jump the small gap. But after about 20 minuets of constant shuffling, he had finally reached the grassy lands of the lower section of the mountain.
He was once more greeted by a huge obsidian gate, this time in it’s centre the name Reales was etched into it’s dark surface, the name glowed with vibrant blue Kakara. Flakes of energy rose from each letter, lingering within the freshness of the mountain’s air, before dissipating into a glowing blue mist. Exiele gripped the gate’s large obsidian handle, which was carved into the shape of a three headed lion, and went to open the gate, but found it was locked.
“Reales”, he called out, glaring in-between each of the pillars. But no reply came. Only the gentle chirping of birds in the distance.
He sighed, wrapping his hands around each of the pillars. He would have to get in the old fashioned way. Using his foot against the handle, he pushed himself up, using his hands to grip the upper section of the gate, before leveraging himself up, then dropping down on the other side of the gate. His leather boots collided with the soft earth below. He was careful to avoid treading on any of the large multi coloured flowers which decorated the beautifully thick grass. He knew Reales loved his garden, and the destruction of his flowers was one of the few things which would anger the Elder. He took a moment to breathe in some of the fresh air, before trudging his way across the plain of flowers and onto a makeshift pathway formed out of large rocks dug deep into the soil. The path wrapped around the cliffs rugged wall, which pocked out a man’s length providing some shade closer to it’s surface. Large squares were cut into the walls face at odd intervals, allowing enough space for a lantern to be placed within each. It got very dark very quickly on the lower sections of the mountain. And lanterns were necessary to see through the almost complete blackness the night provided.
“Reales?”, Exiele called out once more, watching an army of light brown and blue birds fly out from the small bushes which covered the length of the surrounding land. Though again, no reply came. He walked down the path for a further 5 minuets before passing Reales’s storage chamber. Which was a large wooden structure made up of an upper and lower floor, the upper section of the chamber hung over a few metres acting as a balcony, two thick wooden pillars held the it up as support. Exiele poked his head around the corner of the large steel rimmed oak door, but found only darkness within. As all the curtains were drawn closed. Which meant Reales would not be within its depth’s. So he continued forward once more, enjoying the warmth of the sun as it graced his skin. The stone path below slowly turned into a wooden path, which rose a few inches above the grassy floor. The wood creaked as his feet travelled along it’s width. Then he reached a small bridge, which crossed over a beautiful pond filled to the brim with fish. He tried to call out to Reales a few more times, but again no reply came.
He was close to turning around and heading back to the shacks, but after some careful consideration, he decided he would check Reales’s cabin first. If he wasn’t there, he wouldn’t be anywhere on the lower sections of the mountain. And so he continued forward, following the wooden pathway step by step. Keeping an eye out for any outward poking nails which covered the wooden planks.
After a few more minuets, the cliff wall wrapped around to the right, covering the surrounding land in thick shadow, leaving a small circular gap of about 5 feet where the path followed. Exiele had to duck his head down to avoid hitting it against the rocks jagged edges. Once passing this opening, the wooden path disappeared and was replaced with more long grass, which stretched up past Exiele’s knees. In the close distance he could see Reales’s wood and cobble framed cabin, which had long serpent like strands of smoke rising from its cobbled chimney. A good sign.
Passing a few more ponds along the way, Exiele stopped before Reales’s wooden cabin. The sun reflected within it’s glass windows and momentarily blinded him as he glared around his surroundings. He could see the large wooden stable just behind the cabin. And next to that a large cobble structure, which had no walls, instead it held 4 large pillars at each corner, which held up the ceiling of the structure. In the middle was a big cauldron which held a mix of Kakara and water.
Glaring off to the right of the cabin, towards the edge of the cliff. He saw the unmistakable sight of Reales meditating his Kakara. His bulky frame sat cross legged, levitating a few inches above the ground. Streams of blue Kakara swirled around him in beautiful arc’s as his thick grey fur blew gently in the wind. Reales was a Catomi, a race that took the form of a large wolf, though their bodies were much more like an upward standing bear. With thick armour plate like mounds of pure muscle, covered with a dense layer of coloured fur. Though his had greyed over his 300 years of life. Exiele debated whether to call out his name or not, he didn’t want to distract him from his meditation. But the thought was quickly erased from his mind when Reales’s bellowing voice called out to him.
“Did you not see my gate locked Exiele?” His words echoed throughout the grassy lands surrounding them.
“I… I did but I thought I’d make sure you were busy before leaving”.
“And do you see that I am busy?”
Exiele carefully examined the question, he couldn’t tell if it was a trick or not.
“It’s not a trick question”, he added, as if hearing his thoughts.
“I do Elder Reales, I will leave now”.
Reales laughed, turning his aged head towards where he stood, still levitating above the ground. “No need Exiele, are you here for your steed?”
“Yes… but I’d also like to ask some questions if you wouldn’t mind”.
“Not at all” he said, slowly levitating higher and higher from the floor, before dropping down onto two clawed paws. “Let us walk to the stable while talking”.
Exiele nodded in agreement, lightly jogging to catch up to where Reales stood. “Now what are you questions?”
Over the next few minuets Exiele recalled his dream with as much detail as he possibly could. Making sure to bring up he had originally been in the cave looking for Kakara gems, before seemingly being transported into the ancient crypt. Where the three hooded figures had been taking part in a blood ritual. Reales’s eyes narrowed, a look of worry developing on his face.
“That’s is certainly strange”, he said. “Not anything an individual such as yourself should be dreaming”.
“It didn’t feel like a dream though Reales, that’s why I felt like I needed to ask for advice”.
Reales shrugged. “I have no advice for you Exiele, though I will say even if this dream did in fact happen, there would be little you would be able to do. What is it you said they named you?”
“The seeker of the vessel”.
Reales’s eyes widened, before he quickly masked his surprise. “I see”, he paused. “The ritual you saw is what I assume to be a summoning ritual. Usually this act would be with the focus of trying to summon an ancient demon or entity. Though it seems to me, in your dream, the figures were focused on summoning a long since passed individual. Probably an individual with immense power. And the vessels they were speaking of, would be a part of the individuals soul. And they would need to collect each of these vessels before the true summoning ritual could take place”
Exiele nodded slowly.
“The problem is, the worshippers summoning the entity, are unable to retrieve these vessels themselves, therefore they would need to seek an external force to retrieve them. Which is why they would name you the seeker of the vessel”, he paused, passing an eye over Exiele.
“Be honest with me Exiele, have you been practising the forbidden arts in any way?”
If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
“No, no of course not”.
“Good”, he said. “There is a reason that it was made an offence punishable by death in the 5 kingdoms. The practice of blood Kakara is an infection, and every time people release their tainted blood into the Albirth’s natural stream of Kakara, the infection is spread throughout all of the world’s natural production”, he paused. “I have no reason to believe that your dream was random, Exiele, not at all. But even if it is based in reality, it is not a concern of yours”.
“How”, Exiele blurted. “It happened to me”.
“Yes, it did. But you are in no position to do anything about it. And even if I don’t believe it to be, it is most likely, simply a dream”.
Reales paused before the large wooden stable, before turning to face him. His wild emerald eyes locking with his. “Exiele your focus should be whole heartedly focused on the Grand Hunt, the moment your focus wavers on your hunt, you will be killed. You need to keep your path focused. I will bring this dream up with the Elders and we will discuss whether it will be worth checking the cave you entered for any traces of Blood Kakara. But, from this moment on, I don’t want you thinking or worrying about it in anyway”. He smiled. “Besides it would be a great shame if you spent so much time worrying, you wouldn’t be able to harness all the energy within your Kakara Gem, making your whole mischievous journey a waste of time”.
Exiele laughed at that. “I would prefer you don’t tell the Elder’s though Reales”.
“I must, any matter concerning Blood Kakara, dream or not. Will be shared not only with the Elders, but also the Dreskof Empire itself”
Exiele nodded. “Ok, well just don’t tell them about me looking for a Kakara Gem, just tell them I was”, he paused. “just wondering around”.
A smile broke in Reales’s face, revealing a line of razor sharp teeth. “I give you my word – now, before we enter the stable, what was your other question?”
Exiele broke the eye contact, letting his vision pass the clear blue skies above, watching as small birds burst out from in-between the fluffy white clouds.
“Did you see the black dragon earlier?”
Reales’s eyes lit up. “Oh yes, wasn’t it a beauty”.
“It was, it was. But I was thinking about it, and don’t you think it’s strange that it would be here?”
Reales shrugged, placing one clawed hand on the thick wooden frame of the stable. His deep emerald eyes steady of his. “It is certainly a very rare occurrence, in my 133 years as part of the Legion situated in Dreashire, I have only seen two dragons, including that wonderful beast from earlier today”.
“So do you see why it’s strange? And for the dragon to attack so suddenly, then leave straight away after casting it’s flame. It didn’t seem like a natural occurrence, it was too smooth, too perfectly timed”. Exiele held out his arms to further express his thoughts.
“So what is it you’re suggesting”, Reales asked simply, squinting his eyes as a cloud passed the sun, allowing it’s rays of light to reach them undisrupted.
“I don’t know, like you said, it could just be a rare occurrence we were lucky enough to see first hand”, he paused, locking eyes with Reales. “But, I thought maybe it could be something different, something more unnatural… What if a Dragon Whisperer has emerged within the lands?”
Reales laughed. “You do have a good imagination Exiele.
“I’m being serious Reales, like I said it could be a stretch. But I don’t know, it seemed strange. Too perfect and swift. And like the legends say, one day a Dragon Whisperer will arise again, and with it a new empire will arise”.
A smile creaked across Reales’s whiskered snout. “Dragon Whisperers have long since passed, and indeed legends say one shall rise again – a mage able to split one’s own soul as well as the soul of the dragon. Reuniting them as one. But thus far in our time, the legend has run thin. The last known Dragon Whisperer was Horas, one of Albirth’s most feared emperors, forging his control through blood, and the ember flames of his Elder Dragon, Safir”, Reales paused, taking a breath. “His Blackclaw empire rose from a small group of rebel mercenaries, to one of the most powerful empires the United 5 kingdoms, and the outer kingdoms, had ever seen. An army of over 350,000 soldiers at the time, split into 30 separate Imperial Battalions. Add that to the empire’s most feared weapons, three Elder Dragons, able to produce flames as hot as the earths core”. Reales’s eyes began to bulge as he continued, waving his arms in the air with each word.
“And even over a thousands years later, the Blackclaw Empire is still one of the most feared and powerful armies within the 5 main kingdoms – but gods above, apologies, I get lost in the history of our little floating rock. As for your worry, Horas was the last know Dragon Whisperer, and with his death within the Siege of Gods, his three Elder Dragons were slaughtered. And seemingly with it, the breed of Dragon Whisperers were wiped clean from the kingdoms”, he paused, thinking out his words before releasing them. “Is the rise of a Dragon Whisperer impossible? no. But the chances would be much less than thin; A dragon naturally travelling into the wrong kingdom is the most likely answer”, he shrugged. “But enough of this talk, let us find you a steed”.
Exiele nodded slowly, trying to take in all of the information. “Gods above”, he whispered under his breath. “How incredible it would be, to be a Dragon Whisperer”.
“It would indeed”, Reales said, pulling a small glowing solidified mass of green Kakara from his pouch, which had been forged into the form of a large key. He quickly slipped the glowing key into the huge oak sliding doors of the stable. He twisted the key twice, before an echoing click reverberated through the grassy lands surrounding them. The door let out a sigh of disapproval, before slowly sliding to the left. Revealing a huge open wooden room, massive chandelier’s painted the impossibly large stable with a warm orange hue. On either side of the colossal wooden room, were long lines of hard oak fencing which separated a seemingly unending set of squared areas of fresh grass. In each of these area’s about 5-6 horses rested, each of them looking over to their new visitor.
The side walls of the wooden stable had large hollow gaps travelling through their mid point, allowing the horses to get some fresh air. Reales urged Exiele forward. “Here in this stable, are some of the most magnificent, powerful beasts of any of the 5 kingdoms”, he slipped the large glowing key into his pouch wrapped around his thick, fur matted chest. “I have no advice regarding the picking of a steed. Instead I would say, let your soul do the picking. Like the Elders said, in your Grand Hunt, or any hunt beyond that, your steed will be your everything”.
Exiele nodded. Slowly walking down the long line of fenced sections. Locking eyes with each of the beautiful horses. His feet dragged across thick clumps of hay, which were scattered in bulk across the wooden floors.
Reales followed closely behind him, passing a hand across each of the horses, who seemed to lift their heads up and smile towards him.
“Do any take your notice the most?”, Reales asked, his hand was resting on the back of a beautiful, muscular white and black horse. Its eyes seemed to glow within the sunlight reflected between the wooden pallets.
“I don’t know”, Exiele replied, his eyes gazed across the hundreds of horses, marvelling at their sheer size and strength.
One beautiful, large pitch black steed walked out from the outer fenced section, it’s shoulders we’re wide and well built. Its back legs were were as thick as Exiele’s width. The horses ocean blue eyes locked with his, a sense of peace roared through his core. Its blackened mane blew gently as a gust of wind blew against it’s face; it moved forward, ushering it’s head into Exiele’s hands.
“Ilius”, Reales said, walking next to Exiele and resting his hand on the steed’s muscular back.
“He’s beautiful”, Exiele said, the horse seemed to nod thanks.
“One of the most wonderful I have – I do believe, Ilius is the perfect pick for yourself”.
Exiele nodded in agreement. “Like you said, I think he picked me”, Ilius waged his thick black tail from left to right. His hooves leaving deep marks in the moist grass below.
“Let us see for armour”, Reales smiled, walking over to the large lock on the side of the fence. He grabbed the same glowing key from within his pouch, and after channelling a small amount of solidified Kakara, the key’s original form began to change. Then, once the morphing process was complete, Reales clicked open the lock, and allowed Ilius to trot out into the walkway. His hooves collided with the wooden floorboard’s with an echoing clunk. He lifted his head up nudging Exiele. Exiele smiled.
Reales lead them down the walkway, and before an open wooden platform which held an assortment of armour plates and mounts.
“Now as you see here, I have a small amount of amour plates forged for mounts, most are either died as black as obsidian, or as white as quartz. Though the colour does not change the masterful craftsmanship”, he paused with a grin, opening another small cupboard, which revealed three panelled walls of armour, and weapon mounts specifically designed for the horses within the stable. “Forged by me first hand”.
Exiele marvelled at the endless walls of armour; Each plate was so thoroughly polished, the sun’s reflection could be seen clearly within their surface. On the left side of the wooden frames, all of white armour plates were stored, and on the right side it was the black ones. His eyes were drawn to this side. The darkness of the plates would fit well to Ilius’s pitch black frame.
“Can I get a full obsidian black armour plate set, as well as a large two weapon Mount”.
Reales seemingly began to collect the objects before Exiele finished his sentence.
“A very good choice”, he said, balancing each of the thick plates of solid metal on his forearms. “Shall we bring them outside?”
Exiele nodded, carefully leading Ilius along the wooden walkway and towards the closest exit. Sunlight spilled out from the beyond the slatted doorway. Reales walked ahead of them, taking careful steps while leaning slightly backwards, allowing the heavy plates to lay against his chest. “Once we ensure the armour fits comfortably, I shall resume my meditations”, he huffed.
Exile smiled, knowing this was his polite way of saying he wanted some peace. “Sounds Good”.
For the following 20 minuets, Reales went through each section of armour, and ensured they fit Ilius comfortably. Then he went about adding straps and hinges, as well as a few more adjustments to ensure the armour could be put on quickly and efficiently. Ilius stood still in place throughout this process, every so often he would look up and watch the other animals surrounding him. Getting lost in their beautiful colours. Then, once finished, Reales led Ilius down into the independent stables, where each Hunters horse would be allowed to roam free. Thankfully this grassland had a travelling waterfall, meaning he could get down to Reales’s and back up to the academy much easier. Avoiding the horribly withered staircase. Exiele and Reales exchanged a few more words before Exiele travelled up the waterfall and made his way back over to his shack. Where he spent most of the remaining day and night meditating above the Kakara Gem, channelling it’s seemingly infinite amount of Kakara.