Kalevi scaled the rocky ridge gripping one loose stone after another, the hilt of his Koba filled his mouth with the taste of leather and tar. The sword's orange blade shone in the rising sun and made him squint. That blade had been blessed and passed down to him, carried by his grandfather in the war against the Kretna’marud, carried by his father against the giants, and now it will be carried by him against a new enemy. And Kalevi, like his father and fathers father, knew he would win. 

Step, catch, step, catch, catch. Every inch up drew out more and more memory. His first Sisu–the taste of the smoke almost manifested in his mouth. From the blackwood bark, the berries, the leaves, the bitter taste. It had been two long seasons since he’d sat with his father at the Sisu. Since the war had stolen more than just tradition. He was 14 then. Awestruck by the visions the Sisu had given him. Now 20 years old. 

Step, catch. The Earthsong walk–the first time he’d touched an elephant's warm, strong skin. Their steps were like thunder as they walked the land in mass. Hundreds. Thousands. That was also the first time he’d met his wife. Her shining smile froze the young prince in place. Her laugh cleared the skies. Her eyes held all of Galeenes' waters in their depths. He held that memory of her deep in his heart.

Catch, step, catch. Then the fires came. The Shindaris' evil, glowing golden eyes conjured fire, setting Kalevis' world ablaze. Outposts. Homes. Forests. The skies themselves were not safe. He nearly choked on the sour smell of burning flesh and hair. And the black smoke. His father, stricken with the black leg sickness, stood and defended their home. But Kalevi returned too late. His fathers body, kneeling. Lifeless. Right on the threshold of their family home how collapsed in smoke. His wife- his wife. The years had stolen much from Kalevi, recollection was not one of them. 

Kalevi bit down on the leather until his jaw cramped. Dishonor. The words echoed with every step. He should have been there, He was their leader, he should have died with them. A sting swarmed in his chest and he pushed those thoughts aside. If Kalevi would die today it would be dishonorable to those who fell before him.

With the final stone beneath his feet he arrived at the ridges peak overlooking the bloody battlefield. He took one breath and swallowed his fear before turning back to the ridge where his people climbed behind him. Scads of orange heads looked up at him with anticipation from below. He reached his arm to them. One after another. After another. Planters, hunters, the cage master and his sons, whores and mothers. Every person that touched his hands, he knew them. Some he’d known since his days of sitting in at his fathers courts as a young boy, others he’d welcomed himself in his fathers stead. But now he was their leader, and like his father he would lay down his own life to see that their people were free. No matter the cost.

On the ground, his brother led their soldiers in the face of the enemy. Glistening orange spears and swords clashed in sparks as they ripped through the Shendari forces, shredding iron and armor. Anai, Kalevis older brother, was a great leader and an even better warrior. Far better than himself. If it hadn't been tradition for his father to choose the next leader Kalevi would have gladly followed his brother to war. 

Anai blitzed forward, clashing blades with a bulky dark eyed man covered in black and green painted armor. He glanced up the ridge at Kalevi and smiled. The enemy took his opportunity and stepped into Anais' guard attempting to headbut the prince. But he simply danced around the enemy, letting the momentum carry him. Anai shifted his guard behind his head and waited. When the enemy went for a slash Anai parried, sending sparks of silver dust into the sky. His Koba rang with magical energy. In a moment it shifted from silver to green and Anai dashed to the side, then the blade shifted a soft white as he slashed down with trembling speed, then just before he struck the blade's color shifted back to silver and a thunderous wave of slashes roared out. One after another. Shards of black and green armor coated in red were flung with the slashes until the enemy was bare, flayed, and humiliated. With just enough strength to stand the enemy wailed and stumbled back to their war party.

Kalevi was utterly mystified by his brother's magical power. A better leader, a better warrior. A better mage, nearly as good as their father. His envy soon turned to praise as Anais' soldiers cheered, rapping their weapons to their golden pieces. Kalevi put his sword to his lips and roared to his brother and Anai did the same. Kalevis men all fell down the lines and gathered in formation with Anais. Some younger, more eager lot pursued the enemy as they ran, while Kalevi reunited with his brother.

“They retreat once again, thanks to you brother.” Kalevi said, reaching for his brother's hand, but it was never met. Instead Anai looked to the sky then back down to the fleeing army. 

“I feel that something is wrong here.” Anai said.

“What do you mean, the soldiers Shedari are retreating?” 

“The Shendari are cowards. Yes. But they are also sensible.”

“The Shendari broke the pact of stone and fire. The Shendari joined forces with their most hated adversaries. The Shendari started a war with us.” Kalevi argued. “If anyone were sensible it could not possibly be them.”

For the first time Anai looked directly at his brother. His deep brown eyes held compassion for his little brother, but Kalevi could also sense the rage behind the curtain. He scratched his head and then; “Your experience dims your intelligence, brother. I have lived among the Shendari. I have seen them plot and maneuver.” Anai pointed to the bodies that were being moved from the field. Hundreds of light eyed Shendari, now dead. As it should be. “What did father say? A good leader is calculated, considerate, capable, and Charismatic. I don't see that in sending a hundred men to their deaths.”

Kalevi sighed. “So maybe our father was wrong.”

“Father was never wrong.” Anais' words came out as flat as a board. When their father spoke Kalevi was attentive but his brother was dogmatic. Anai made it a habit to eat, sleep, and shit their fathers words, sometimes spouting them back to Kalevi in arguments until they were both blue in the face. He held their father like a God. A guiding star.

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Kalevi chuckled. “Well then, you must be a terrible leader or an absolute genius.”

Anai chuckled then pointed to the horizon. “We will see soon enough.”

Over the hills, across the land bridge that connected their lands to one another charged 3 monstrous beasts. A fleet of Great Giants clad in massive, thick plates of armor. Their legs were fully covered to the knee. The backs were stacked with plates, man carriers, and weapons. And their heads sat squished in little bell-shaped helms. It was a miracle for them the giants could even see otherwise Kalevi wondered who the battle would be more difficult for. The man carriers held only 1 man on each giant. Then men calmly climbed down from the giants and waited.

Kalevi leaned to his brother. “Just 3 men?”

“Those aren't just men. The Shendari magic is far different from ours. Those men are Luminaries.”

One giant reached behind him and pulled out a long green and black flag and stabbed it into the ground while the others roared and charged forward. Their armies were clearly shaken as those too far forward to retreat were stomped to dust yet they charged forward anyways. Anai tried to yell through the roars and stomping but couldn't muster enough power, with nothing left he charged forward too. His koba flickering from white to green to red to white again. They advanced, wiping out most of Kalevis troops in just a few swings of their clubs. The Giants roared once more, the massive makeshift helms covering their heads rippled with power. It was a bloodbath.

Pain rose in Kalevi’s Eyes. His nation was in danger once again. An attack neither he nor his brother saw coming; and yet he stood there while everyone else fought on his behalf. He wouldn't let this be the end for his people. Kalevi opened his mouth, breathing in as much magic as his lungs could hold. He felt the burn in his lungs, his eyes, his fingers as the magic coursed through him like blood. Then, in a single second, the blade drew a scarlet red being slashed across the air sending a wave of fire crashing into the Great Giants helms. They spazzed, attempting to get the helmets off of themselves, shoving each other in the process. One managed to get its helm off before being shoved into the waters. Another tried his hardest but the heat eventually roasted his head and the giant collapsed, tripping the other who fell to his back and was immediately piled by soldiers all taking a stab at the giant. 

Anai looked back to his brother and smiled. “Impressive!” He yelled. “You may have taken a bit of my hair but I’ll forgive you.”

“Well it was thanks to-” His appreciation was cut short by the screams of their people as the ones that attacked the giant were being beamed to death by rays of light. Each one that found a target instant burned through and left a flaming hole in its wake. On the other side, one of the Luminaries held his hands to the sky and bent them and as he did the beams cascaded forward towards the brothers but stopped just short. 

“What are you doing?” One Luminary yelled as the other collapsed, face first into the soil. 

“Iokua. . . I dont think his body could handle that spell.” The other Luminary said. Iokua said nothing in response, instead stepping forwards and stopping in the middle of the now battered land bridge. He seemed to make an effort to step on the heads of their fallen people as he made his way. 

Kalevi could see the man more clearly now and went forward to meet him. He had long deep black hair like the Great giants. He was tall, freakishly tall. His green and white robes and cape were nearly blinding in the midday sun. He had a long nose and sunken eyes like a boar waiting to bloody its tusks. The other was still too far to tell but it seemed to be a woman. 

“So, are you dogs ready to surrender?” Iokua spoke so nonchalantly to them it called for pause. 

“This battle isn't over scum. You and your people-” Kalevi said.

“Me and my people want nothing more than to go home.”

“Then leave.” Anai said. “Call it a loss and leave.”

Iokua just smiled, and then; “I'm afraid that's impossible. See I can't lose.” He said and raised his hand to the sky. Anai instinctually took a quick breath and dashed for his throat. Suddenly, all at once, Anais’ koba clashed with what looked like a dazzling iridescent field around Iokua. The field then exploded, sending Anai and I flying back off the land bridge. Anai had been knocked down and severely burned. I took a deep breath and attempted to get the pain off but it felt like it was never ending. Then he let his hand down. And like a giant veil the sky became blanketed by flaming arrows. Millions more than Kalevi had seen his entire life were beginning their descent on him. 

He knew he needed to act fast but the situation was nearly inescapable. He checked for his brother, grabbing hold of him and running. He leapt to his feet and took off. With each step Anai let out a cry. If he could make it to the taller trees they'd be safe, his people were already dead, but if he could regroup with the rest back home they might be able to come up with a strategy. But soon like rain, a fast pitter patter of arrows chased him down. He took a deep breath and lept behind a tree, not fast enough as an arrow clept his leg and he went falling to the ground. For what felt like minutes upon minutes the sound of falling arrows and spreading flame took over his ears. 

Kalevi thought back. It was nothing but a lost cause. We’ve been doomed since fathers death. Look how fast we’ve fallen Anai. Everyone, all those that came and fought for us. We were just leading them to death.

Anai had fully passed out from the fall, but for the most part was still breathing. Kalevi let out a sigh of relief before wincing in pain. As he looked down he'd finally noticed the river of blood running from his leg down the rocky terrain. And with no shaman nearby he and his brother would fall to their wounds in a matter of minutes. If they were not found by the Luminaries first. With nothing left in his head he thought. What would you do, Anai?

A moment later he was holding the sword to his chest. When the boys were young their father, out of fear, taught them every magical ability he'd learned from studying the blade. And now that they were out of options he figured it was only fitting. Now he could barely take in a deep enough breath to sustain the color change, so he licked his lips and forced one more breath, this time changing the blade's color to black. The forbidden color. 

“You really were a better leader than I, Anai. Hopefully with this you and our people can live on. I'm sorry you can't say goodbye brother.”

And as the blade flung through his chest and into the tree behind him, Kalevi thought again. It was strange, as much as he thought he would, he didn't miss a lot of things. Not the Sisu, not the Earthsong walk, not warm meat or fresh baths, or friendly smiles. He simply thought of his mother, his father, his wife, and his brother. Then he wasn't thinking anymore.