It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of beliefs, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct to to the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being recieved, for good or for evil, In the superlative degree of comparison only.

*A 5-Chapter Mini Story for the contest and hoping to win Lunox's Skin 'Cosmic Harmony'*



In the Land of Dawn, a dark orb fell from the sky in the middle of Celestial Palace. Leaving no trace of how it ended up into the ground, a sudden glow appeared inside it.

Now, Lunox sensed something was wrong and found out what brings the orb here. Her long lost twin. She never knew she had a sister, yet her twin seems to be an evil sorceress from above. 

Her sister has all the dark side around her, not even a single light. Unlike Lunox, she balanced light and dark. She asked some of her friends to join forces against defeating her twin before it's attempt of annihilation in the Land of Dawn.

Volta is a righteous young man who wants nothing more than to protect the kingdom from evil. Floria is an aloof young woman who wants to grow stronger. Both of them want to win the Tournament of Knights to graduate early. Watch as the two of them get an outcome neither expected and get drawn into an adventure that decides the fate of the kingdom.

The world was falling into chaos. The truth was no longer something the government can conceal.
Ever since the attack on the Kraken and the disappearance of the WGP's support, the world was already going on its downhill descent.
The financial world, the exchange of currency, the trade that the world relied on had all fallen into a chaotic mess. Countries found themselves to be without means to support or sustain themselves.
Some countries even had people killing their leaders. It was very much satisfied with how the government was trying to fight off the collapse of almost every stable source of income, trade, and other necessities.
Corruption began to reveal itself left and right in some countries. Countries in any form of alliance or agreement even fell apart, and war occurred within.
But as the world fell, great reformations and reestablishment were occurring.
New people rose to power, and the former regimes died with the leaders that once held them.
Tech Possibilities had been lifted. Almost every corporation and organization, and even some of them, had revealed a new form of technology that they had secretly hidden all along and began to sell them and offer exchanges with various forms of financial aides and trades.
The WGP offered trade offers to some countries that attracted them with unique techs. But mysteriously, it was countries that had long lived under severe economic and technological hindrances that were the ones that managed to remain afloat when the whole world changed.
Pangea, which had enemies on both sides and limited land trade, were forced to find means as the triune countries united and made techs of their own. With the western sea and land routes blocked by the SPU and Australia hovering over the west, they had to turn to different means to survive the trade storm.
Apart from this, the gambles of Crazy Carlean and Ludicrous Lynd paid off. General Harker wanted the various gambling debts to be paid using minerals, supplies, materials, and tech.  
But this trade greatly benefited Pangea as it now managed to create a stable society in the new era when the WGP fell.
The Americas and Canada, which had long been isolated due to the severe restrictions in trade, remained as stable as ever. And while great turmoil was happening within the Americas, powerful organization and techs that was so intriguing, it even moved the WGP to offer various trades.
Since its establishment, Unlock Industries, which wasn't even a month old, has overtaken several large corporations in the Americas. South America even experienced the rise of Underwater Cities, which created even more chaos in various countries worldwide.
Arthur watched the news and continued to mutter strange things.
His trip had taken him all over the world. He visited Pangea and aided Seeker in the attack of the WGP. After this, he had settled in the Leviathan and was making his way towards Egypt.
The Leviathan had been spending the last three weeks traveling all over the world. It was searching all over the place and managed to wipe out and conquer three underwater cities. Arthur understood more about the underwater cities and how these secret societies functioned. He was able to deduce and calculate the locations of the other cities and found a way to attack and conquer them without alerting the rest.
The cities they attacked were easily conquered. Some had three times larger cities than the Leviathan itself as the city was buried under the sea bed. But against the primary team of Unlocked soldiers, these cities easily were captured.
But Arthur didn't capture and enslave everyone. They simply observed and acquired the unique technologies that developed in the underwater world. Some were turned into Programmed Slaves, and they even gave the conquered cities techs and explained about the Aragarians.
As Arthur kept charting their path towards Egypt, he suddenly felt a strange force.
He immediately turned on a strange device.
The device was something that combined several techs. Richie, the Realm King, and Lennox made means that allowed the three to link in great distances.
"Soundcheck. I'm sorry for the sudden call. But this is the only time that I can make this call. I'm inside the underwater nuclear facility of a certain Underwater City. Is everyone here?" Lioncourt asked.
All the Overcomers and Near Overcomers were present and gave a simple acknowledgment. Notable members joining the call who weren't Overcomers are Arthur and Charles.
"They Tyrant Empress is, of course, without means to respond. Although I'm sure, you've felt it. It's as if her claws are trying to reach out and grab us." Lioncourt wiped the sweat off his face.
"Eagle seems to be busy. Anyway, now that everyone's attendance is confirmed, let's get this call started. As Arthur predicted, strange fluctuations are occurring around the world. Four, to be exact. One appears to be headed towards the Caliphate region. Amir Mann, you owe me your liver. I expect the shipment to be made immediately."
"Fine…" Amir grunted.
"Liver?" Charles asked.
"No time to explain, Doctor Charles. Anyway, with this, we can confirm that Arthur's prediction was right. Crostfree is dead and Pridgeon now controls Crostfree's techs. But now, there are three more strange fluctuations. Looking at the feel, I'm guessing two of them are mass teleportation. One is bending space like the Void's assassins teleportation technique, but the other is displacing space. Any thoughts on that Seeker?"
"No. I don't know who those Presiders are. But they might appear in South America. My team will keep a close eye at the situation."
"Alright. Anyway, it means what you all think. The Aragarians are moving their armies inside Earth. We have accomplished one of our objectives. From our own reprogrammed set of slaves and the Pioneers serving the Tyrant Empress, we know that there are tiers among Presiders. Since these so-called top-tiered Presiders are now moving, we can now assume that it is safe to move into our next plan."
"Amazing. You got even the date right. You can really see the future." Seeker laughed as he checked the calendar.
"Then that means that Arthur is also right in the locations. Russia, Caliphate, Canada, and one in the Underwater region of the world. Is it in the Arctic waters?" Meng asked.
"Correct. The movements are as Arthur expected." Lioncourt answered.
"Let's not get confident, Overcomers. Our concern is to prepare our traps and create as many spies as we can. My predictions moving onwards will now have lower chances of coming true. There are too many factors in play and too many powers. And even now, our chances of victory is quite small."
"We will do what we can. In about a few weeks, I should have the ability to sense through the wind." Hermes explained.
"I'll try to scout them. Or does Arthur have any suggestions?"
"It's best to wait for Richie to visit you up there. I'm sure he will be gathering and pulling you in the war against the Tyrant Empress in Africa. Once together, try to find a way to merge your two paths. We do not know if the Presiders in Canada can detect the strange movements of the wind. So it's better to use your wind and make a Realm Chamber for Richie."  
"Alright. Sounds like a plan."
"Meng… What about your father? How is he?"
"He will be going to South America as planned. Rosa's family has finally caved in. My father will be joining them and will be acting as one of their elders."
"Caved in… Meaning?" Charles asked.
"Typical tortured them, and they believed the reports about the Aragarians."
"The Gladium family fought me on several occasions. You used fear to make them submit?" Rai wondered.
"Consider them Programmed Slaves. But instead of pleasure, I used pain. Three of their younger members reached the Advent stage of Unbecoming during the torture, which proves that they may have more possible Paths to develop. They have agreed to join against the war against Russia and India."
"Are you certain that you can handle that, Dragon?" Amir asked.
"My Fangs crushed you once. They will crush you again, Little Doggie." Meng laughed.
"We shall see." Amir didn't fight back. Although Cliff was the main reason they won, Amir counted it as his defeat.
"Seeker. For your mission in South America, you have to be very careful. Pridgeon shouldn't have made his move obvious. With how he is suddenly moving towards the Caliphate region means that things have changed. Act as if a Principal is there."
"I know. That's why Lynd and Cliff are with me."
"That should also be a reminder to all of you. You have to be more on guard with your battles. Pridgeon is able to move an entire invisible fortress towards that location. It is that moon that we attacked in the South Pacific. If Crostfree becomes the baseline of reference for Top-Tier Presiders, we should assume that the others have the means to do the same thing. Mass teleportation is something inconceivable at this time. And since both have used different means of teleportation, it means that their techs in the dimensions beyond are something we cannot imagine or box."
"So we live assuming that they can detect us?" Charles asked.
"In Seeker's future, I believe that apart from Crostfree, most who took part were either low to mid-tiered Presiders. But now, we have Top-tiers on Earth. They will be actively looking for this Lost Primordial. We gave them a fake target with all our lies. So don't try to get yourself in the target range." Lennox interjected.
"As you can see, my son is wise in forcing all of us to complete our big moves before they get here. The only Presider that showed interest was drawn out and killed. But since we already killed a Top-Tier and made it look like another Presider or the Lost Primordial is involved, we might draw in Principals."  
"So in our current power, we don't have any hopes in defeating Principals. We know Dimension tech is the key to rising to greater power. And we don't even have the basics. My powers could barely be counted as that." Rai sighed.  
"Yes. Principals should have the power to do far greater things. And so our plan relies on stealing whatever we can from Presiders. But even if we've acquired all the techs that the top Presiders here have, we still won't be able to beat them." Arthur agreed.
"Cheer up, gang! We have the Lost Primordial's tech. We have within us the means to become stronger than these guys! The techs we get from them are just nice benefits. Just as it always has been, the key to victory lies in our ability to Overcome." Seeker smiled.
"Our enemies are near. Are enemies bring such a great threat to the balance. But this is the only way for us to grow." Seeker added.
"Arthur, you didn't tell us last time. But what is your prediction? What will these people do?"
"The key lies ins Pridgeon's sudden action. Why suddenly make an obvious move? For those who are Top-Tiered Presiders, this would make his acquisition of Crostfree's tech known. Why would he do that?"
"He knows he's discovered," Richie answered.
"He's not hiding anymore. But even then, he is still moving to complete the obsession we've started with him with the Jews. Did he succumb to the Tyrant Empress's power?"
"Not exactly. He knows he's failed. He's moving to counter it." Arthur answered.
"Tyrant Empress, you have to grow stronger in a way that he will fall into an obsession towards you without knowing it. Make him fall so in love that he will create an alternate personality. Make that obsession a personality. It is possible." Seeker suggested.
"You've read my mind, Seeker. But while that may not happen, the best way for these Presiders to move freely within Earth is to create a new nation for themselves."  
"Then it's perfect." Someone suddenly interrupted.
"Eagle. So nice of you to join." Lennox greeted.
"I'm sorry. I was in the middle of the Bible study. But the events that follow seem to be in line with the Bible's grand tale."
"The Bible's grand tale?" Richie asked with great curiosity.
"The Bible repeatedly talks about two certain things. Israel and a city that opposes it. Jerusalem was first shown in Genesis as the city called 'Salem' ruled by an interesting bible figure that was a High Priest and at the same time a King."
"Melchizedek!" Richie answered like a young kid showing off to his parents how smart he was.
"Correct, Richie. This Melchizedek is seen as an important typology of Jesus Christ. He presents himself as a King-Priest, a role that only Jesus fulfills and is hinted to in the New Testament. The Book of Hebrews details this. Jerusalem quickly becomes the center of all Biblical narratives. It focuses on that city, and the Bible even ends with the City of God, the New Jerusalem falling from Heaven and taking its place."
"That is what you kept mentioning as the Kingdom, correct?"
"Yes and no. Depending on your view on eschatology, you might believe the Kingdom happens before or after. But that's not necessary. For now, we can say that it is the Kingdom for convenience's sake. What is important is that we understand the first important city that is Jerusalem. The second city also appears in Genesis, we see it featured prominently in the last book of the Bible, and we see its mentions running all over the Bible. The second city first appeared in Genesis as Babel."
"The tower of Babel?"
"Indeed! The very same! Babel in the land of Shinar. And do you know what existed in Shinar?"
"Babylon!" Richie exclaimed once more.
"Correct again! Look's like Richie's knowledge of the Bible is getting better! I trust your Bible studies have been going great?"
"Richie's leading bible studies?!" Seeker was amazed.
"Yeah. You should join, Seeker! Your Grandmother frequently attends now."
"...Please continue, Eagle."  
"Anyway… It is, as Richie said. Babylon becomes an important theme throughout the Bible, and in the book of Revelation, we see the two prominent cities fighting. Revelation tells of a great city, full of sin and wickedness, and is very vocal in their defiance against God. And this city is at odds with Jerusalem. You could even say that Babel, the city that sinful man built to reach the heavens and challenge God, is rebuilt!"
"I get it. You mean to say that we are fulfilling the typologies of Scripture?" Lennox asked.
"Indeed. Whether Arthur intended it to be, this is what's happening. So, Arthur, we have to find a way to make Pridgeon build his fortress in the land of Shinar. If we arrange it in that way, my sermons could become a powerful weapon to convince the world when the time comes." Eagle urged Arthur.
"Alright then. I'll send word to Lowengren. I predict that these Presiders on Earth will build a city just like Pridgeon will do. And I guess, to fulfill Scripture, we have to make our cities strong enough to fight them." Arthur added.
"This doesn't overlap with our current arrangements. Richie and the Empress will still fight in Africa. Amir and the Dragon will fight in China. Near Overcomers, I urge you to join those battles. Make your battle wild that it will cause some countries to flee to the Cities of Refuge. Also, try to attack these towers of Babels that will surface. I predict you will lose. But that's the point." Arthur added.
"I see. One city is a place of escape. The weak and helpless will go there. But Babel will be a city of power. Full of vices, sin, and pride. Both will rise, and both will have different things to depict. If that's the case, then our battles will be easier. The other Presiders will probably join one of those cities to make their entry on Earth easier." Lioncourt analyzed.
"So one of the major themes in the Bible is Jerusalem and Babylon… Interesting… It kind of makes me see the Bible differently know. So this is it, huh? A Tale of Two Cities." Richie laughed.
"The Cities of Refuge versus the Towers of Babel… It has a nice ring to it." Seeker also laughed.


An alien race invaded the Earth on June 6, 2128. At the midst of this war, many nations allied with the alien threat and the war nearly wiped out the rebelling humans of the planet. At the edge of mankind's survival, the United Nations Army launched its forces to eliminate the immediate stellar threats that loomed over Earth.

General Seeker Carlean, commander and leader of the mission, risked and gave his life to destroy the immediate stellar threat. The battle was won though Earth lay in ruins. Perhaps mankind will live to see a few years of peace before the alien threat returns to wipe out their existence.

At the immediate aftermath of the stellar battle, the fallen Seeker Carlean awakens and finds himself at aged 17, living the peaceful life he lived 16 years before he died.

So begins a new game in the battle for humanity's survival.

----
Cover art by Jayps. http://www.behance.net/Jayps

Let alone Keshi, who was on the verge of death a moment ago, even Kilem was struck dumbfounded. No one had envisioned such a swift and definitive attack from the one person who had been little more than dead weight all this time. 

From the moment they met Njeru, they had concluded he was but a simpleton. The only reason they kept him along was that they felt he must be more than he presented himself. 

His bearing, statue, and body were not something a hermit he seemed to be would have. His whole aura was quite similar to that of the lords that walked the cities. Even though he was lost, he didn't seem that bothered. 

However, none of them had thought that this simpleton would wake up at a time like this, much less do what they had failed to do in such a cool and decisive way. 

As for Njeru himself didn't know what the others were thinking, just exceedingly happy to have contributed. 

During the fight, he had been told to stand back. All that time, he had watched as his teammates were battered by the monster, completely unable to help. 

While he had been helpless, he was not idle. The one thing he had proven he was good at was pattern recognition. After observing the beast as it fought, he had realized that it was doing its best to protect the area around its neck. 

Every time someone got close, it would dodge and then vehemently counterattack. Time and time again the beast kept itself protected as it attacked, exposing its weakness. 

One time, Jamie got close with her daggers, but the beast had intentionally blocked her advance before going to take a bite. 

Another thing he had realized was that given the shape and orientation of the scales, where he shot from behind, he could penetrate the scales in between the gaps under the bigger scales. 

This was how he found the weak point and was able to stab at the beast, penetrating just between the scales. 

What he didn't know was that he was extremely strong, stronger than most humans. 

However, their brief moment of pleasure was instantly disrupted by another ear-piercing screech. Something angry was coming for them, probably a relative of the monster they just killed. 

"Njeru, we have to rely on you!" Ruitha said in a surprisingly sincere tone. 

To this, Njeru let out a confident smile as he strode towards the coming beast. By now, he had mastered the dead beast's movement and attack patterns, so he was confident of taking on the newcomer. 

Swish!

The monster's neck glands were pierced through a single swing, the blade drilling deep into the beast's cranium. 
It took the group several moments before they could recover from the shock, and a few more to get themselves up and running once more. This time around, they all had a newfound respect for their newcomer, even Ruitha hesitating before calling him, Njeru. 

They couldn't stick around in the tunnel for too long given that it was a kill box. They were severely exposed and didn't even have a light. 

The group got on their feet once more and made their way deeper into the tunnel. After what seemed like an eternity, they came upon a large carven that extended forward like a large hall. 

One look at the hall and one would think that it was man-made, a fact that seemed to shock the team. Njeru had no opinion on the matter either way. 

The hall even had lamp-like objects hanging from the ceiling, but sadly, it was still bleakly lit by the torches the group members were using. 

"Njeru, lead the way," Chege's voice was a lot softer than usual. Not that he was capitulating, just being smart. You use the big guns first, and so far, Njeru was the team's biggest gun. 

Fortunately, all their worries were unfounded. This carven seemed to have been home to the two beasts, and no other beast dared lurk around. They didn't even find rats, assuming the rats wouldn't dare come close to the lair of these beasts. 

After searching the carven for a while, they eventually found a metallic box tucked away in some corner. The box looked ancient, as though it had seen several centuries. 

"No way! Could the package we are looking for be connected to ancient humans?" Keshi asked excitedly. Even the usually withdrawn Jamie was extremely excited. 

While they knew that what they were looking for was valuable, this new piece of information made the package all the more valuable and mysterious. 

Anything connected to ancient humans was extremely valuable, even after several millennia had passed. There were still signs of their advancements. There were still ruins that remained of large cities that these humans had created. 

Some powerful lords had sort to rebuild these ruins and cities. Everyone knew the story of ancient humans. To some, it was a tale of man's glorious era, to others, a cautionary tale to show how man's greed if left unchecked, could destroy the world. 

Of all present, only Amaya remained clueless about the tale and ignorant of who ancient humans were. Despite that, even he could tell from his companion's reaction that this was indeed a valuable treasure. 

Chege swung his broadsword down, hacking the box's lock mechanism. However, no matter how much they hacked at it, the little silver box would not break open. 

Finally, after several minutes of whacking at the box, it flew open, revealing its contents for all to see.

A man wakes up to find himself inside a crater, with no idea who he is and how he got there. 

He embarks on a journey to find out who he is, and his purpose. Along the way, he discovers that his arrival heralds great changes to humanity as a whole.

The story is set in a post-apocalyptic era where whatever damage has happened. People see the prosperity of the ancient humans, but have no idea what led to their death.

In this world dying by disease or by murder is one of the greatest things that can happen to you, because if you don't then there is a high chance you will die in the hands of a beast.
Beasts are creatures like no other, they are hostile to every living creature other than themselves, for them killing humans is a hobby and torturing them before they devour them is not an uncommon sight.

Its said that all beasts come from one place, nobody has ever been there, or at least never returned back to tell the tale, the legend says that a dark magician created a giant chamber where they periodically appear and head to the cities, although it may just be a folk tale told to the kids. Many people believe it and spend their lives searching for that place, and many die searching for it.
 Those who search for the chamber are called Explorers, there are 2 kinds, freelancers which are Explorers which set out on their own to try and find the chamber, but there are also the royal explorers which are those who not only protect the only kingdom in the world but search for the chamber to try and destroy it.

 Two of the most amazing freelance explorers named Elizabeth and Collin,  Elizabeth was an amazing wizard who was the second best in the kingdom and Collin was a swashbuckler, an amazing duel wielder of the great vanquishers, which were curved blades made from the fangs of the most powerful beast known to man. the two were traveling together in a group of 5 when they fell in love and got married soon after, when they retired they decided to build a Hut in the forest, close to the border of the kingdom so that they could start a family. About a year later, Elizabeth noticed that she was pregnant, after many months she gives birth to a healthy boy and they decide to name him Rei.

Novena and Cyrus were able to halt the brewing discussion about the said book. Cyrus needed to review each medical report submitted by Hexel's mother.  Most of the report had their blood drained, mixed and changed. It explains the typical and hysterical behavior from other victims. Lehi and Hexel are currently in charge of the statistics concerning the victim's system and blood types. 

Cyrus had Kiel and Lila be on Palace duty with Natalina. Kiel may have pouted due to the unchanging task entrusted to him yet he still complied. He sometimes doubt if he is really a breed from him. Cyrus can't help but have Eyel and Mem track down the person who is with AHL. If the enemies are able to have their way and hand on Kiel it would create a dimensional destruction. 

Ophir, Nevi and Urchin are assigned to look up for any books concerning AHL within the Myrrh Cinnamon Library. The main reason Ophir and Urchin are browsing some picture books while Nevi had himself knocked over on the dusty hardbound.They were searching and wiping the whole day but found none. 

Gardenia made her way to Lila's training hall and spotted her while she is learning the proper etiquette in making some tea and signing some documents. 
"Your Highness what brings you here?" Lila politely inquired. 
"I am here to review and check the papers you sealed and signed."
Gardenia replied as she thoroughly read the papers. Gardenia secretly removed a piece of paper and handed the file back to Lila. She exited the place and saw a paper with enchantment. She immediately sealed it with her jasper and would discuss it with Cyrus when he arrives. 

Lehi and Hexel observed how the victims  got their wounds.  Some have opened up about how they got slit, hammered and injected. Lehi studied their list so far and had concluded that most have the same wounds, fracture and injury. Even the animals, birds and frogs had the same pattern. Lehi saw a starlike pattern in every cut. Hexel also pointed out that in surgery it's pointless to put on some art so much more a star. 

Natalina have read through the papers assigned to her. It was more of the economic issues concerning the villages towns, capitals and cities under them. 
She noticed a disturbing high numbers and wealth listed under one city. When she looked through the city's background she can't point out anything unusual or any error but the brothersome feeling continued to concern her.  When she scanned another cities it's incomparable. She separated the paper and had it surrender to Gardenia. 

Kiel had been stamping non stop. Thankfully Mem was not around but having his mother guide and instruct him is worst. He can't even recall having a break or tea time. Gardenia noticed Kiel's sulking aura as he keep sealing and stamping on papers like a machine. 
"Do you want a break dear?" Gradenia inquired sweetly. Kiel nodded his head as he grins. 
"Sure, not after you gave me some report about something unusual. Lila and Natalina already had theirs." Gardenia advised as she winked at her son. 
As much as she wanted to serve Kiel personally Cyrus sternly informed her not to pamper or spoil their son.
Kiel slump on the desk and just rubbed his forehead on the wooden surface.  

Gardenia sneaked in the kitchen to prepare some bread and milk with earl tea. It was Kiel's favorite food after studying. Gardenia served it on his table and made a gesture that it will be their secret. Kiel grinned to indicate his satisfaction as he enjoy the snack his mother offered. 

Cyrus and Novena were able to communicate well with Ahl's editor and publisher. They even gave them the exact copy of unedited version. Novena had Cyrus took a brief look on it and was astonished how Ahl scripted it. It was like a movie and it gives off a vicarious feeling. But then again he just played with words every reader might think it's a fantasy but in fact it's reality. Novena excused herself for another week to submit the said scripture.

Gardenia waited for her husband's carraige to arrive. She put on some scarf to ease the cold wind blowing at the palace door.  It's about midnight and Gardenia haven't heared of Cyrus nor Novena.  She already dismissed the Tale Bearers at Myrrh Cinnamon. According to Ophir his task only found one strange book and that would be the book entitled
"Worm W".  When Gardenia scanned the book it was void.  Her growing concern about AHL's interest toward Kiel is preventing her to get some sleep. 

Cyrus heared the Knight halted and opened the gate. His ears caught an evening greetings.When Cyrus looked through the window he spotted his wife at the door with her golden scarf.  Cyrus dismissed the knights and approached his wife. 

"Hey, how come your still awake?" Cyrus asked in concern due to the chilling night sky. 
"I am waiting for you and I can't sleep."  Gardenia answered as she embraced her husband and whispered a warmly. 
"Welcome home. Thank you for being safe."

Cyrus discussed the budget from the cities that made Natalina doubt. When they both track down what is the reason behind it Cyrus needed to split the Tale Bearers.  Kiel also had some papers concerning a disease that is arising under two villages. Plus Gradenia slipped a paper from Lila's assigned task. It was about the rebellious fraction having a gathering at a humble town. 
Cyrus was grateful that Gardnia is pointing out this minor concerns before it became a major problem.

Cyrus called in the Tale Bearers for the meeting. 
"We have three issues at the moment.  The rebellious fraction having their gathering for what reason? - that is what we need to find out.  Second the spread of unknown disease spreading in the village of Shin and Nue. - confirming the cause and reason for spread.
Lastly the unexplainable wealth and source of income from Hokkai."

When prayer takes you to places you never thought exist and leads you to people you never imagine to encounter. Prayer takes you to a supernatural adventure.

The world is covered in water, almost ninety percent of the surface is water, because every ten years an earthquake happens and another portion of land sinks, the current nation of Albion is safe from harm for now, the earthquake happened just five years ago, but they came too close in the last earthquake, they almost met demise at the sea. The Albion continent is about the size of Canada and North America, and there are four major cities that rule this continent. Our story begins in the city of Silverfall. It's owned and governed by Ren Arlend, friend and fellow student of Celeste Sol. The landmass is shaped vaguely in the form of a dragon, and there is a point where the head would be that leads up to a high mountain peak, this is the highest peak on the planet, and is home to a legendary beast, the phoenix. The mountain takes up the western side of the continent and swamps and marshes tend to dot the path to the mountain. The the south are plains of golden grass as far as the eye can see, and in these plains resides a creature that no man or woman have ever seen. It's a legendary beast, and supposedly it looks like a tiger crossed with a lion, but the only ones to see the being and live had their minds shattered by the sight. Children are it's prey, and they alone are drawn to the plains, no one has ever been able to explain this phenomenon, but even Celeste can't catch the beast unless she burns the plains to the ground. Yo the north the mountain continues but it remains low, more rolling hills than anything else. However these hills are covered in ice, and beasts that live in the ice. There are three legendary beasts that call this place home, two because of the natural heat they exude and one because of it love of the cold. The dragon and dragon turtle hold a special relationship, neither likes the other but they can't hurt each other so they ignore whatever the other does, however they aren't the strongest beings there. A giant bear, nicknamed the shaman of the skies by his people, protects the icy lands from the desert of the east and the Phoenix from the west, he alone has held onto the only piece of civilization that exists there for centuries. And his protection is returned with gifts and love. He is the god of the northern people, one who protects them in all things. To the east lies the desert, one that is expansive and sprawling, one that hides caves and ruins, and death. There are tales from the desert that in its deepest pits a being exists that could destroy cities and countries, however, since no one has ever seen the beast and no one even knows what it looks like this story is taken as Oman old wives tale, something g to scare children. Sadly the name of this ancient beast has been long forgotten, and times passage has worn away all entrance to the domain it supposedly controlled. The four cities are each set close to the middle of the continent, a single days walk would let you see another city by dusk. With these four cities governing their respective territories villages and towns cover the speaking landscape, some, like old-moon village, existed before the cities themselves, some like ever-wreathe village are new and struggle to make a place for themselves. For the most part the center of the continent is covered by forest, which makes the going tough for unwary traveller.m, however the city lords of the four cities understand that if beasts were to every overrun the areas between their cities death would be doin to follow, while the legendary beasts don't normally move against humans, lesser beasts and even dark organizations roil under the surface, and it's these you must watch out for.

It was as good of a plan as any so the group was soon going through the forest. Brand found the idea of walking through a forest deep beneath a mountain to be strangely exciting. He couldn't help but look around, hoping to note the differences between this magically made forest and a real one. As the group walked on, the warrior had to admit he couldn't spot any. Maybe a woodsman or a scout like Bonn could spot some but to Brand, this forest was just like a real one. It was vast and flourishing and when he lift his face, Brand could even see the light slipping through the thick canopy above him. Brand could tell that the forest was not old. He could not see any thick ancient trunks but there were thin branches spreading out from every tree and an occasional flower sprucing up the otherwise green ocean of leaves. Brand could even hear the leaves rustling in the wind, giving the forest a melody of noise. He couldn't help but exclaimed.
"This forest is delightful!"
"Too delightful."
"What?"
Brand wasn't the only one surprised at Vall's statement. Several of the group shared his views of the forest and they all exclaim their surprise. The barbarian shaman turned to explain.
"The leaves are too green, none of the trees are rotting, and the breeze is too steady. This isn't real. This is what you get when someone try to build a perfect forest. An ideal forest. Like something you would find in a tale. It is too perfect."
Brand looked around again and found that the shaman was right. This is a forest where everything was just wonderful, a magical place without the grim property of the real world. Suddenly the warrior found the forest less than welcoming. At least one member of the group that didn't think so.
"Is that a bad thing?" Cromer asked. "A forest like something you find in a tale that is even better than the real thing is a good thing right?"
"No! It's unnatural."
The shaman's reply brooked no arguments and the group was silenced by his tone. Vall had been the friendlier of their two guides and his reaction seems extreme to Brand. He silently wondered if there was some cultural aspect of this forest that offends the shaman. It won't be the first time. The Clan barbarians forego the safety of the cities and instead choose to live on the Homeless Plains due to some mistaken belief that the cities were impure. Maybe that belief covers a magical forest as well.
His thought were loudly interrupted by a scream. Brand turned and saw one of his men down on the ground with his head in the jaws of a gigantic wolf. Standing above the dead mage, the wolf looked at the group mockingly and Brand suddenly remember that they were in enemy territory. He quickly scanned his surroundings. His breath stopped as he realized that they were surrounded.
"Form up on me!"
Gwendis' shout shook the group out of their paralysis. The group formed a circle around Gwendis and Vall. With the two mages safely in the middle, the group waited. The monsters came out. Wolves twice the size of normal wolves; spear-wielding monkeys that stood on two legs; monsters that looked like goats but walked like humans. Brand's face turned dark. They were outnumbered. Then he felt a lift to his spirits. He felt stronger, faster, and braver. Brand glanced back and gave Vall a nod of thanks. It had took him only a moment to realize that the spell came from the shaman. The spells of the Mages from Yachium were usually much less subtle.
One of the goat monsters lift a lute to his lips and blew. Music filled the forest and it was beautiful. Brand couldn't help but stared at the goat monster with the lute. How did such a monster managed to make such beautiful sounds?
Moments passed but the music continued and Brand didn't want the music to ever stop. It was beauty. It was life. It was…a blast of air shot towards the goat monster. The monster dived to the ground to avoid the spell and his song was abandoned. The music stopped and Brand got his mind back. There's no other term for it. His mind was in a daze but now, it was as if a fog had lifted and his mind was his again.
"Kill that monster!" Gwendis screeched.
Brand took a step forward and became a blur. Unlike shield warriors who trained to be tougher, Brand trained to be faster. The goat monster saw him move but didn't have time to run. In fact, he had barely move before Brand's sword went through him. The other monsters screamed in response and attacked. Most of the monsters attack the main group but two of the giant wolves decided to concentrate on Brand. They split up to attack him from both sides. That was a mistake.
Brand took a step left and once again became a blur. The monster had underestimate his speed and reach. His sword scored a deep cut. It wasn't fatal though and the wolf jump out of range before he could deliver the finishing blow. Brand ignored the injured wolf and focus on the other wolf coming from behind. It had seen it's partner in trouble and was rushing Brand. Brand reversed his sword grip and stab it as it jump towards him. It was a killing blow but the wolf had momentum and was so big it managed to knock Brand off-balance. The first wolf returned with jaws gaping and Brand knew he couldn't avoid it. He put out his arm, sacrificing it to avoid death. The wolf obliged, clamping it's jaw on Brand's arm like a vice. The pain shot through him but another emotion outweigh his pain. Rage.
Rage at the death of his friends. Rage against the dark mage who created these monsters. Rage against this monster now trying to kill him. The rage enable him to endure the pain, to ignore the sweet call of unconsciousness, and to thrust his sword into the wolf. The monster went slack but Brand had to shake his arm several times before it's dead body released it's grip on his arm. Brand ignored the grisly sight of his arm and turned back to the battle. The monsters were still continuing their attack and Brand fully intend to make them all pay.

Ever wonder who created the first Werewolf? Or the world's first Unicorn? Wonder no more! For anyone who love fantasy-comedies, here comes the misadventures of Ioplon's first dungeon and the origins of the fantasy creatures we all know and love. Here comes The Dungeon Hive!

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This is the unedited draft of the trilogy. All three book of the trilogy are available on Amazon. Please review my books on Amazon. I don’t mind if you give 1-star or 5-star, but it would help a ton. So please leave a review. Thanks!

Surrounded by eager eyes and attentive listeners, Cyrus dutifully fulfilled the request. Looking inwardly, he began recounting his tale.
" My earliest memory is one of hunger, tiredness, and a will to survive. I was young, how young I was at the time I did not know but later Cato guessed that I was no more than six. I was living in a slum of one of the last few major cities in the wasteland, although to call it a city would probably be a great affront to the empires' very own cities. I survived by being quiet, by not bothering anyone, and stealing food from various thieves who were starving like I was. No one expected a youth such as myself to possess the natural dexterity required to rob someone unsuspecting so easily as I could, a natural talent of mine Cato had later told me. After surviving like I was, no more lucid than an animal you would find in the wild, I happened to find my way into a curious room. A hidden room that was behind an unsuspecting building in an otherwise ordinary alleyway. A room that, most important to me at the time, had plenty of food in it. Without considering the implications whatsoever, I gorged myself full of the rich food that I had never tasted before in my life before passing out. The next day I awoke, I continued to eat, before soon realizing that I had no way of escaping the room I found myself in. Stumped, I merely ate and slept until one day I finally came face to face with the owner of the room; Cato. Later Cato told me he was surprised by my ability to get into the room, as the only way in was to sneak in when Cato himself was exiting. Anything containing life force would have easily been detected by him, and anything not would have as well. A curious thing it was, but a welcome surprise to us both. Interested in my ability, or so he had told me, he took me in for two years raising me as any would raise a child. Moving from hideout to hideout, he taught me about the world around me and how to grow as an individual. This went on for years, slowly accumulating my sense of self and growing my competence… both of us forgetting as to why we were joined in the first place and instead growing closer than ever." Cyrus paused for a moment, somewhat swept away by his emotions before collecting himself.
"To me, Cato was my beloved mentor but above all else he was a father figure to me I suppose. Always guiding me along, patiently correcting my mistakes while generously imparting knowledge to me all the which while. We were together for a total of seven years, of which I had no doubt received priceless gift after priceless gift in the form of guidance, compassion, and affection…" Cato looked up for a moment, before being cowed into silence by the faces of his listeners. The Legionaries faces were full of pride in their master, Adara was brought to tears, and Fauve was nodding helplessly as if he were saying "As expected of that idiot".
Ever surprised at the depth of his mentor's relationship with these people, Cyrus continued his tale. He mentioned every major event he could come across, from the time he and his mentor ventured all around the wasteland seeking any and every opportunity to teach Cyrus something and most likely, as Cyrus had guessed over the years, to carry out Cato's duty to the empire of clearing any and all threats away. Even mentioning the time that the two had discovered his uncanny enjoyment of any type of literature when Cato was teaching him to read. Cyrus ended his story with his adventures at the last oasis town before his departure for imperial borders, of how he had finally cemented his sense of self thanks to his mentor as well as even letting slip their emotional parting. To that, everyone in the group laughed aloud as their images of Cato matched up almost perfectly with what they had all remembered; a powerful, nosy and sometimes incredulous man yet always stayed true to his beliefs even in the face of his untimely exile from his beloved empire.
Gabriel was the first to break from his reminiscences of Cato, saying "Thank you very much Cyrus. All of us are extremely grateful for you sharing such personal details to us." He then stood up, along with all the rest, and each bowed slightly as a form of respect. Having so many godly figures show such respect to he, who had not even broken past the rank of 'initiate' in terms of might, was quite shocked indeed. Not forgetting his manners he politely said, "You are welcome, but to you who are so close to the one who raised me it was no trouble at all."
This time it was Fauve who spoke up, saying in his uniquely crude manner "All right enough of the sappy stuff. Boy, we have all accepted you as the true student of Cato. However, as you are now who knows how you might embarrass our friend by dropping dead from a strong gust of wind." He spat on the ground as he said this, in almost complete disgust as if Cyrus was muck on his shoe while continuing,  "Which is why for the next six days of travel, you will spend time with each of us one at a time. We will impart what knowledge we can in these six days, so that if a time comes where you announce to the world your identity you do not bring shame to your mentor." He then patted Cyrus on the shoulder, rather warmly… again sending mixed signals and deeply confusing Cyrus.
"Does he hate me or like me, I really can't tell… maybe both?" mused Cyrus as the Fauve enthusiastically asked "Right, right?!" towards everyone in the group until they all were in agreement.
"All right!" exclaimed Fauve, no doubt convinced that he had personally gotten everyone to agree. "We will then spend the next 6 days as so, while travelling for a few hours every day so we can continue to keep pace with our schedule. The journey was always going to take longer than the usual travel time of 10 days anyhow as Cyrus was… and still rather is… new to travel by horse, no worry in delaying it by another day or two hahaha!"
"Not my fault horses and deserts do not mix well at all. Not to mention Camels are slower but also more stable to ride…" embarrassedly thought Cyrus.
With that, all of them said farewell to Cyrus as they retreated towards their own tents. Most likely to take in all they had learned or perhaps to prepare for the upcoming quick lessons with their idol's student.

Ultimate Procrastinator is my alter ego(RR)

An Empire stands atop the known world, a bastion of civilization. Powerful armies that beat down enemies afar, elite warriors of an ancient order that lead every charge, with magical prowess fueling the economy at home...the Empire stands above all. Yet it is beset on all sides by enemies within and without, as well as many dark and insidious forces that even mentioning their name will result in a visit from the Inquisition...

Our story follows one man and his place in the world, as he learns and grows in the lovely yet horribly violent world he finds himself in. With humble origins in a land south of the Empire, he will make use of his curious and clever mind to discover and carve his path in the world... either with his words or with his might, he will see that which he believes in prosper.
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