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September 4th, 2004
They had been running for an hour. Jacob knew that he was starting to fatigue. His breath was coming in short, sharp gasps, and a stitch burned in his side. He threw a quick glance over his shoulder, nothing. Yet he sensed the Kunais searching for him, smelling his soul, and following his trail. Jacob had never felt so scared in his life . His heart hammered, and not just from running. Cold sweat beaded his forehead, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood upright.
Twigs slapped at his face, but Jacob did not slow. He could hear the Kunais gaining on the three of them; himself, his mother, and his brother. The sounds of pursuit grew louder and louder. His anxiety increased with each agonizing step. Panic mounting, Jacob looked around for somewhere to hide. His eyes darted from side to side, but found nothing more promising than piles of useless leaves and twigs. He knew that, even if they hide in foliage, they wouldn't escape their pursuers...
Some say he ate people’s souls and that the king was actually his servant. Jacob had learned, however, that Kadomaro had brainwashed the king. Jacob wondered what it would feel like to have his soul eaten. Not very pleasant, he concluded, but he didn’t care to find out ...
At length, they entered a small circle cleared of foliage. Jacob and his family halted, panting, searching for their pursuers. They could hear them but not see them. Jacob knew the Kunais surround them, hiding in the tall, aging trees...
“There is no place to run! Give up and we won’t kill you!” Kadomaro shouted.
“There is to a way out! And we will escape if we have to fight your whole army!” their mother retorted.
“Advance!” Kadomaro yelled.
The Kunais emerged from the forest and walked slowly toward them. The ring of enemies closed in on them. Jacob kept his mother and brother as near as possible, their safety uppermost in his mind. All three moved in a tight circle inside that made by the Kunais. Jacob studied the creatures, looking for an opening, considering their options. They were covered in black capes, concealing what they really looked like. Bone-like hands poked out of the ends of the capes; barely any flesh covered their fingers...
Jacob had undertaken a lot of training with the sword. His father had taught him to fight with it as often as he could. Last year, Jacob had won some fame in the local sword-fighting tournaments, bettering opponents much older than himself. He was almost as good as his father, the second best swordsman in the empire...
Jacob drew his sword, ready for combat. His mother couldn’t fight at all, so he was by himself on this one. The first Kunai stopped in front of him. Jacob could almost see the thing’s grin behind that blank face. The Kunai raised his sword, and the battle began.
The Kunai struck first with a downward slash. Jacob dodged by ducking left, out of the way. He heard the sword crash into the dry ground where he'd been standing seconds ago. Annoyed, the Kunai pulled the sword out of the ground with a sudden wrench...
Jacob charged, sword drawn. He struck with a vicious sideswipe, almost bowling the kunai over. Even though the Kunai blocked the blow, it fell backwards over a protruding root. Its sword flew from its hand. The weapon went flying overhead. It landed in the soft, dry earth...
Jacob was about to kill it, when he heard his mother scream in fear...
He spun around, his eyes searching for the cause of his mother's cries. The sight that met his eyes, made his blood run cold.
Four Kunai stood around her, tormenting her. Three were tearing at her hair, pulling it out in large clumps. The other was whipping her with a scourge, a whip with sharp rocks tied to the end of it. As the lash came down across her shoulders again, he heard her anguished cry. Jacob recoiled, almost as if he could feel her pain. Unable to bear the torture, his mother raised her hands to protect herself from the blows. Laomar fell from her arms. The scourge came down again, cutting right through her clothes. Red streaks appeared through the tears in the material as the rocks carved into her bare skin. She shrieked again, cowering beneath the blows.
Jacob raced back to her. His brain was on fire with hatred. His crazed eyes saw nothing but his mother's tormentors. He charged, ready to slaughter the perpetrators of this foul deed. Concentrating on the enemy wielding the scourge, Jacob rushed straight at the Kunai surrounding his mother...
As he neared them, Jacob swung his sword in a sweeping circle. The Kunai wasn’t hurt, but the sharp ends of the scourge went flying, the leather holding them severed by Jacob's keen blade. Too late the boy realized his mistake. He had timed his attack incorrectly, and the two stones were heading straight for his mother! He heard the crack as they thudded into the woman's skull. Despair and horror seized him as he watched his mother fall to the ground.
Now, Jacob was enraged. He rushed forward, renewed power surging within him. He brought the sword crashing down on the startled Kunai. But Jacob had shown his intentions too soon, and the Kunai's blade came up, smashing against Jacob's, sending it spiraling behind him. Jacob stood, his mouth open in surprise. His sword was shattered. He'd stared in disbelief at the hilt in his hand, startled by the Kunai's agility to draw its sword. The Kunai's menacing laugh brought Jacob out of his state of shock...
"Now what can you do, you pitiful worm!" the Kunai mocked. "See what power you have now? Now you are all mine!" With its final shout, the Kunai rushed toward Jacob, a glint in his eyes. Swinging the blade, the Kunai descended on his victim.
Jacob had just enough time to jump out of the way. As he landed, he watched the black cape of the Kunai rushing by, creating a gust of wind. The Kunai turned in an instant, again aligning its blade straight at Jacob. This time, it moved in close, the blade flashing in an oblique, downward slash. Jacob just rolled out of the way. He heard the sword make contact with the ground...
Seething with rage, the Kunai wrenched the sword from the ground. His violent actions almost beheaded the Kunai standing behind him. With a war cry, the Kunai rocketed toward Jacob, this time intent on killing the youth...
As Jacob watched the Kunai rushing towards him, he saw two scourges that had been dropped during his battle. With incredible dexterity, Jacob executed an acrobatic leap towards the discarded weapons. He clasped the ends of one in his right hand and turned. The Kunai was almost upon him. With little more than a split-second to spare, Jacob brought the scourge up, slamming it as hard as he could to deflect the sword aimed at his head...
The scourge wrapped around the end of the brittle blade, and Jacob tugged with all his might. The Kunai realized what Jacob was trying to do, and attempted to jerk the sword back. The leather binding of the scourge started rending into Jacob's flesh, making his hands bleed. His eyes filled with tears, but he still held on, grimacing as he tried to dislodge the Kunai. Bright, red blood flowed down the leather, turning it dark red, until it spilled onto the edge of the blade. Jacob knew he could not endure the pain much longer, and with a piercing shout, he wrenched the scourge up with all his might. A low hiss issued from the Kunai as its sword spiralled into the air. The creature, caught off guard, stumbled forward. Surprisingly, the scourge remained wrapped around the blade. Jacob realized this, and with a mighty swing, threw the encased sword at the Kunai...
The sword hit with a resounding crack! The Kunai fell and didn't move. Jacob moved closer to examine his opponent. Suddenly, its body flew into the air, and with one last, ear-splitting shriek, it erupted into a thousand balls of flame. Wherever the flames hit, they scorched the ground, turning it as black as night. But when they touched flesh, they felt like little more than small mosquitoes stinging.
Jacob was shocked. He stood, eyes wide with disbelief, never having witnessed anything like this before in his life. A noise from behind snapped him back to his danger. He started to turn as a blade pricked his back. He looked around. It was Kadomaro, standing over Jacob. Kadomaro held his sword in hand. Jacob couldn’t see Kadomaro's face, but could picture his enemy's grin behind the shadowy wall seeming to enshroud him.
“Get up, mortal,” Kadomaro commanded in his hollow voice.
Jacob struggled to his feet, sweat and dust covering him. Kadomaro produced a large whip, and grabbed Jacob. When Kadomaro grabbed Jacob's hands, a piercing cold enveloped him; it felt hot and cold at the same time. Seconds later, Jacob found his hands bound by the whip.
“I will not kill you. But your brother must die,” Kadomaro explained.
Jacob gritted his teeth together. His face grew fierce with hatred. Then he heard Laomar crying. Jacob opened his bloodshot eyes, suddenly remembering the trick his father had taught him.
"Come here!" Kadomaro bellowed.
Approaching close to Kadomaro as he'd been ordered, Jacob slid his hands down the sharp blade, careful not to let his skin touch the weapon. He felt the tension of the ropes loosen, and was able to free his hands. He shoved Kadomaro aside and ran to Laomar, still lying on the ground. Jacob wondered why Kadomaro and the Kunai hadn’t attempted to grab him. Jacob looked at his mother’s body, lying where it had fallen. He had no doubt she was dead. And he had caused it. Tears started, but he fought them back. He needed to save Laomar and himself. He turned around and saw Kadomaro and his Kunai gazing at him, seeming to wait for him to start running. Picking up Laomar, Jacob sprinted into the woods.
Kadomaro gave the silent order to go after him. The game was afoot.
Jacob ran into the forest carrying his brother. He didn’t care where he was headed. He just wanted to get as far as possible away from Kadomaro.
It was fall and the trees were at their most beautiful, all different colors - orange, yellow, and red. The trees were old, and some had deep gashes from axes in their bark. But they were too big and strong to bring down. ‘Lucky for them,' thought Jacob, wishing he could be as strong as the trees.
Captured by the beauty surrounding him, Jacob didn’t notice that his pace was slowing. Then he was jerked from his reverie by an icy hand gripping his shoulder. He spun around, his sword drawn. It wasn’t a Kunai as he'd expected. It was a stranger, an old man, wearing dusty, gray robes and carrying a staff that was bigger than he. He had a long, curling beard and was somewhat chubby.
“Who are you?” Jacob asked, his voice agressive. He tried not to sound too surprised or scared.
“I am Mablu. Don’t hurt me. I’m here to help you. Follow me or you’ll end up like your father and mother,” the old man said. At least Jacob took him to be a man, although he was much shorter than any man Jacob had ever seen.
Without waiting for an answer, the stranger raced away. Despite his stature and weight, the man was fast. Jacob had to run to catch up with him. Then, Kadomaro appeared in front of the man. They seemed to know each other.
“Thank you, my friend, I will take it from here,” Kadomaro told Mablu.
“You’re welcome. Now give me my money,” Mablu demanded.
“Here you go,” Kadomaro said, sounding bored.
Mablu counted the money and, turning, ran off. Even after the little old man entered the woods, Jacob could still make out his outline. He was hiding under a stump of an old tree. Jacob detected something strange about the man’s actions. He seemed to be watching him, making sure Jacob wouldn’t be hurt.
“Well, now. You have escaped once. I won’t make that mistake again. Now hand over the boy!” Kadomaro commanded.
“No!” Jacob shouted, kicking a pile of leaves into Kadomaro’s eyes.
As Kadomaro brushed the debris from his eyes, Jacob ran off again, in the direction from which he'd come. He heard Kadomaro’s cruel laugh. Suddenly, five Kunai appeared in front of Jacob, then more behind him. He was surrounded. The Kunai forced Jacob backwards, until his back was pressed against a tree.
“Now is the end. I’ll kill anyone I can to avenge my mother and father’s deaths,” Jacob muttered to himself. He drew his sword, ready to go down fighting.
Kadomaro wasn’t fooling around. He wasn’t giving Jacob another chance. He held up his hand again. This time a bow and arrow appeared. He told the Kunai to get their bows and arrows out, too. Everyone obeyed. Jacob tried to protect Laomar by pushing his brother behind him, while holding his attackers at bay with his sword.
The Kunais aimed and fired at Jacob.
Abruptly, Jacob felt the ground give way beneath his feet. Then he tumbled down some kind of staircase. As his head made contact with one of the steps, he dropped his brother. One after the other, they bounced their way to the botom.
After what seemed like a long time, Jacob landed on soft, moist ground. Total darkness surrounded him. Although he could not see Kadomaro, Jacob could hear everything the priest above was saying. Jacob knew he was lucky to have stumbled on this place.
Then he heard a voice. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I seem to be,” Jacob said.
“Come with me,” the voice said.
Jacob rose slowly to his feet. He had many sore spots where his arms, legs, back and head had connected with the steps on the way down, but he had not sustained any serious injuries. When his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, he made out the faint outline of some life-form. He also discerned Laomar's shape lying at the foot of the steps. Jacob shuffled over to his brother and picked him up.
Then flickering light filled the chamber. The thing had lit a torch.
“Come with me it,” it ordered again as it disappeared down a narrow passage. Jacob had run into the forest. He didn’t care where he was running. He just wanted to get as far as possible away from Kadomaro.
It was fall and the trees were the most colorful. All different colors of orange, yellow, and red. The trees were old, and some had deep gashes from an axe in their bark. But they were too big and strong to bring down. ‘Lucky for them’. thought Jacob, wishing he could be as strong as the trees.
He didn’t notice that he was slowing down, captured by the beauty of his surroundings. Then he felt an icy hand grip his shoulder. He turned around, with his sword drawn. It wasn’t a Kunai, though. It was a man. He was wearing dusty, gray robes and had a staff that was bigger then him. He had a long, curling beard, and was somewhat chubby.
“Who are you?” Jacob asked, his voice agressive. He tried not to sound sad or scared.
“I am Mablu. Don’t hurt me. I’m here to help you. Follow me or you’ll end up like your father and mother,” the old man said, at least he thought he was a man, he almost looked to short to be a man.
He was fast despite his stature and weight. Jacob had to run to catch up with him. Then Kadomaro appeared in front of the man. They seemed to know each other.
“Thank you, my friend, I will take it from here,” Kadomaro told Mablu.
“You’re welcome. Now give me my money,” Mablu demanded.
“Here you go,” Kadomaro said, sounding bored.
Mablu counted the money and then ran off into the woods. Jacob could still see the man, faintly. He was hiding under a stump of an old tree.
There was something strange about the man’s actions. He seemed to be watching him, making sure Jacob wouldn’t be hurt.
“Well now. You have escaped once. I won’t make that mistake again. Now hand over the boy!” Kadomaro commanded.
“No!” Jacob shouted, kicking a pile of leaves into Kadomaro’s eyes. Then Jacob ran off again, in the direction from which he'd come. He heard Kadomaro’s cruel laugh. Suddenly, five Kunai appeared in front of him, then behind him. Then he was completely surrounded. He was forced backwards, against a tree.
“Now is the end. I’ll kill anyone I can, to avenge my mother and father’s deaths.” Jacob muttered to himself, drawing his sword, ready to go down with a fight.
Kadomaro wasn’t fooling around. He wasn’t giving Jacob another chance. He held up his hand again. This time a bow and arrow appeared. He told the Kunai to get their bow and arrows out, too. Everyone aimed and fired at Jacob.
Jacob felt his body tumbe down a some kind of staircase. He landed on soft, moist ground. Total darkness surrounded him. He could hear everything Kadomaro was saying from above. He was lucky.
Then he heard a voice, “Are you okay?”
“Yes, why?” Jacob asked.
“Come with me,” the voice said again.
Jacob slowly stood up. When his eyes were adjusted to the darkness, and he could see the faint outline of some life-form. Then the chamber lit up. The thing had lit a torch.
“Come with me it,” it ordered again as it disappeared down a narrow passage.
The walls were moist and seemed to be made of mud. They had ancient symbols carved on them, too. Jacob couldn’t make head or tail out of what they meant. Then he had to run after the man, or get lost. The man was walked through corridors, always switching directions, as if they were a part of him. Then he suddenly stopped. Jacob caught up to him, almost out of breath, and looked where the man had halted. There was a painting of a giant, black thing terrorizing the human race and feasting on their flesh. Then he looked closer. On the side there was a picture of two men. One looked exactly like him! And the other man he didn’t know at all.
“This is the prophecy. This is what it will look like when the hero starts to fight against the Dragon King,” the man explained, not even glancing at Jacob.
“What is that black thing killing the men and women? And who are those two men on the side that are brandishing their swords?” Jacob asked.
“The ‘black thing’ is a TerraDragon. It will be here when the great war comes. Those two men on the side are great warriors. One, is the hero. The other his best friend and brother. It is Laomar and you, my boy,” The man explained.
“What do you mean? That one of us is the chosen one? How do you know?” Jacob asked, amazed.
“Follow me,” the man ordered. He walked down the hall a little more, until all the paintings on the wall were gone.
“Here it is inscribed that the hero’s names are Jacob and Laomar. You must face the fact now. That was why Kadomaro was chasing you. Your brother is the hero and you, his best friend. Now I must show you my realm. Follow me.”
The man started walking again running through different caverns and corridors. Then the man turned again, vanishing from Jacob's limited sight. Jacob ran after him, hoping he hadn’t lost the man. He entered the corridor where the man had disappeared.
Jacob was startled at what he saw. It was an underground forge. He was on a ‘hill’ overlooking the forge. Hundreds of men were working. Metal hit metal, making loud clanging noises which filled the chamber. Dwarves bustled about making weapons. The dwarf women also ran about handing out food and water to the workers. Jacob had never seen anything so big. On the far side of the chamber was a huge door. Two armor-clad dwarves holding miniature pikes guarded the door. He spotted a set of stairs that led down to the forge. He stepped down, careful not to awaken Laomar, who was sleeping peacefully. Jacob walked up to a man who was making a sword.
“Excuse me, sir, what is this place?” Jacob ansked.
“You must be joking. Why are you here if you don’t know what here is? Go do your work like the rest of us,” the man answered in a loud, cheery voice.
“I’m not joking. I was following a short man. And he came here,” Jacob asswered.
“Oh, you were following Birksha. You will want to go that way,” the man answered, pointing to the bronze and oak door.
Jacob nodded his head in thanks and walked to the door. Then a dwarf maid appeared right in front of him, holding a tray of hotcakes. Jacob crashed into her, sending the hotcakes flying.
“I’m so sorry, ma’am,” Jacob apologized, stooping down to gather the hotcakes.
The maid didn’t answer. She just gathered all the hotcakes and ran off to get more vittles for the man. Jacob shrugged his shoulders and continued to the large door.
He walked past the door, the dwarf guards not even glancing at him. He found himself in a beautiful chamber, covered in tapestries, paintings, rugs and pelts. There was a huge throne, surrounded five men holding spears. On the throne sat the man he's been following.
“Welcome, Jacob, to Mazica. My underground kingdom. We have been waiting for your arrival. Arrivoi, escort those two to their chamber. They need to rest,” the man commanded.
A woman walked up and gestured for Jacob to follow her. She wore a wreath of flowers on her head. It was made from daisies, thronless roses and daffodils. She led them down a narrow chamber, turning here and there until she came to a mahogany door. She opened the door and ushered Jacob, who was still carrying his brother, inside.
Jacob walked into the room. It was a small, pleasnt chamber, but it was still bigger then the one he had at home. It was decorated with fur rugs, the best linen, and a feather bed.
“You will rest here. Don’t unpack your belongings. You won’t be here very long,” Arrivoi said. She walked out the door, closing it behind her.
Jacob was dead-tired. He put Laomar in a small crib, right next to his. Laomar was already asleep. Jacob lay down on the bed. He fell asleep in an instant. But his dreams were ruined by nightmares of the days ordeals.
~ ~
Back at the tree where Jacob had disappeared dozens of arrows embedded into the trunk. All had been fired the moment before he vanished.
“Where did he go?” Kadomaro yelled, angry at the boy's escape.
“I don’t know master. It seems like he disappeared into thin air,” a Kunai answered.
“Don’t be a smart aleck, Ragnor! No one just disappears like that, unless they’re a demon or angel. Which he isn’t. Get Fangmrom. We can’t let this mere child outsmart us! Now go!” Kadomaro commanded.
“Yes, sir,” the kunais answered smartly, before they disappeared into their balls of flame.
“Ah, Jacob. We’ll see how strong you really are. I’ll meet you on the Jaygon Pass, soon. I can promise you that,” Kadomaro whispered to himself, before he transported to the Jaygon Pass. Now it was a waiting game.
~~~~~~~~~~~
“Master, wake up! It’s time to eat!” Arrivoi shouted.
Jacob woke up. He climbed out of bed, his body aching in every joint.
“Be there in a minute,” he grumbled, still sleepy.
He heard Arrivoi's footsteps go down the hall. He woke up Laomar, surprised that he didn’t even complain. He walked into the hall, Laomar in his arms. He wandered down the passage, trying to remember the way he had come.
After five minutes, he finally found the dining hall. It was bustling with dwarves and human maids. Huge trolleys, stacked with food were everywhere. The hall was at least fifty feet long and twenty feet wide, with a forty-foot table in the middle, occupying most of the hall.
A dwarf maid walked up to him and ushered him to follow her. She led him to the other end of the hall, where a huge chair stood. She took the baby from his arms and dragged him onto the chair.
“Stay there,” she ordered. “Don’t worry about your brother. He’ll be fine.” She walked off down another hall, disappearing from view.
The hall smelled of roasting acorns, delicious, hot apple dumplings, and steaming meat. He felt as hungry as a pack of ravenous wolves, if not more so. Slowly, the workers in from the forge filed in, each taking a glance at the newcomer.
In five minutes, the man he'd been following walked into the hall. He sat down next to Jacob and rapped his scepter on a glass cup.
“Today we welcome Jacob into our domain. He is the hero’s brother. So treat him with respect. Tonight we feast! Tomorrow, half of our army will escort him to the beginning of the Zaygon Pass. From where he will go to Mainheim, the mountain village. Feast, eat and be merry, for tomorrow you may die. Just kidding. Eat and drink to your heart’s content!” the man shouted.
There was a loud, ‘here-here’ and the clang as the glasses hit each other. Jacob grabbed anything he could get his hands on. Boiling turkey, corn crisp, and bread smothered in honey were only a few of the many dishes. Jacob stuffed the food down his gullet, as greedy as a pig, savoring all the tastes. Grape wine and ripe cordial was also served. Goat’s milk and water were provided for the younger children, hanging around the hall.
Jacob felt he would burst from all the food he ate.
"Jacob, we need to see you, now,” a man in a clean, yellow-green garb, said.
Jacob nodded, getting up from his chair to follow the man.
They walked down a long narrow corridor until they finally reached a huge oak door. The man opened it slowly and walked inside, into the darkness. Jacob could make out a small glow of light at the end. He noticed they were heading towards it at a slow pace.
James rounded the corner, startled by what he saw. It was a huge chamber, filled with weapons and armor. Lining the walls were the finest swords Jacob had ever seen. They appeared to be made from magnon, a rare material said to be made from a special glass nicknamed 'Lightning Glass'. Jacob had heard that Lightning Glass was harder than any metal. It could also be made into a sharp blade, using a diamond or diamond dust. It could then cut through anything, since it is the second hardest material.
Ten men and numerous dwarves were seated at a long table, that filled half the chamber. The man nodded towards the end of the table where there stood a chair covered in cougar and deer skins.
Birksha, the leader of all Mazica, the man whom Jacob had followed to get here, was sitiing in a chair more even more lavished then Jacob's.
“Welcome, Jacob, to the Sacred Ring. We have gathered today to help Jacob and Laomar on their perilous quest to Mainheim, the Mountain Village. We must help him get there through the Jaygon Pass. As you all know, the Reptils have taken over it, poisoning it’s once-fertile lands. One of us is going to help Jacob get through the pass. It will be long and dangerous, but we must fulfill the prophecy!” Birksha announced to the group.
“Which one?” Jacob asked.
“The one that says, ‘As an infant he will run down the Dragon Pass.’ Mainheim is the closest village next to the Dragon Pass. The beginning of it,” Birksha, explained.
“I see.”
“And how are we going to make it through the Pass alive? There’s way too many Reptils to fight through!” a man argued.
“We will do it! I’ll give them what they want, so they will let us pass safely,” Birksha explained, annoyed.
“Well who’s going with them?”
“That’s what we are going to find out. One of you ten will travel with them. We will cast lots. The first one out goes with Jacob,” Birksha stated.
The man and dwarves nodded their heads in agreement. Birksha handed each a small tile of papyrus. They each wrote their name on their tile and put it in a small jar.
Birksha shook the jar for a minute then opened the lid. One tile fell out onto the table.
“And the one guiding Jacob is.... Jorgas,” Birksha roared.
A dwarf stood up, somewhat solemn. A few men clapped, but the room was as silent as a funeral ceremony.
“Hello, Jacob, I am, Jorgas,” the dwarf said.
“Yes, I know. I am pleased to meet you,” Jacob said, shaking Jorgas’ hand.
“Aye, we better leave tomorrow morning. We’ll need our rest," Jorgas said.
“Why can’t we leave tonight? It will be much cooler out, and we might be able to slip by these, Reptil things, without being noticed,” James asked.
“You don’t know what Reptils are, do you?”
“No but they sound like small reptiles that can fight. So what? They, can’t hurt us that badly.”
“You’re completely wrong. Reptils thrive in the night and day. They have terrific sight and are a little smaller then dwarves. There are millions of them. We either have to give them a whole lot of tribute or try to fight our way through all one hundred and fifty miles of the Jaygon Pass,” Jorgas explained.
“Whatever, I’m sure the Kunai are much harder then anything we will ever fight in the Jaygon Pass.”
“The Kunai? They’re actually alive?”
“Yeah, why?”
“The Kunai were banished to Alfrago, a world below our own, by the great, white thing that saved us from the TerraDragons power. ”
“Oh, well. I’m sure we can take care of them. I’ve killed a few of them.”
“You can’t kill Kunai. You can only send them to Hell where they can’t get out. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow morning at the stables,” Jorgas stated.
“I don’t know where the stables are, though.”
“Don’t worry, Arrivoi will guide you.”
Jacob nodded and walked off towards his room.
The celebration was still going on in the hall. Jacob could hear laughing, and some men singing a funny song.
Jacob reached the door to his room and walked inside quietly. It was pitch-black. But Jacob could still make out an outline of some beast.
“What are you?” Jacob asked, brandishing his sword.
“I am Fangmrom, the Silent Killer. And you are my prey,” it explained in a sonorous voice, like Kadomaro's that echoed around the whole room.
Jacob found a candle and lit it with a torch from the hall.
He could make out the beast that had answered him. It looked old, having pale grey skin, and huge razor claws that looked as if they could rip through diamonds with one swipe. It stood on all fours gazing at Jacob, seeming to look into his soul and mind.
Fangmrom roared in anger, making it seem like someone or something took over his mind. It leapt at James, claws reaching out for him. Jacob didn’t have enough time to withdraw his sword from its sheath but was just able to tumble out of the way hearing the thunk, as Fangmrom’s claws swiped through earthen wall. Jacob unsheathed his sword, holding it in front of him.
“You won’t kill me, demon!” Jacob roared.
Forcing Jacob back against a wall, Fangmrom licked his lips. They both charged at the same time, clashing in combat. Fangmrom forced Jacob back against a wall licking his lips happily. He slashed at Jacob’s midriff, barely missing. Jacob swung his sword at Fangmrom’s head. A loud clang was heard. Jacob’s sword broke in half against Fangmrom’s iron hide.
“What are you. A demon from the south!” Jacob yelled.
“I am more then a demon, my young friend, I am a Shingrook, a leader of the demons,” Fangmrom replied. He slashed at Jacob again, this time his claws landed a hit on Jacob's chest. The force of the blow caused Jacob to fall back against the bed, almost cracking his skull wide open. A fierce pain, like the burn of a hot poker erupted inside his head. Jacob took a deep breath, attempting to subdue the agony. For several seconds, he thought he'd succeded. Then it returned. This time with much greater intensity. He crouched down holding his head. He took a swift glance at Fangmrom. Fangmrom was grinning and jumped up, intent on delivering the final blow.
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