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#### THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY

KOFI FRIMPONG ONYINA

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#### Copyright

This work is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2017 by Kofi Frimpong Onyina.

All rights reserved.

Cover and map design: Eli Nartey (Inkman Illustrations).
TABLE OF CONTENT

DEDICATION

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

EPILOGUE

## Dedication

This book is dedicated first and foremost to God for seeing me through all the tough times I went through while putting this piece together and then to my parents for always supporting me. This book would not have been a reality if these other people have not helped in diverse ways. Much thanks go to Pastor Francis Jonah for teaching and inspiring me to write this book, to Eyram Osei for taking time to proofread the earlier draft of the book, to Eli Nartey for designing the cover art and map and to Elizabeth Ampadu for her contributions.

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## Prologue

This story is not about me. Although I have always wished it was.

You see, I have always wanted to be the hero of a story but I wasn't even the hero of mine. Sad. You can blame destiny or the gods or whoever the diviners look to for their prophecy.

Well, this story is about destiny. You know, destiny is a funny thing. Some say it chooses you, others say you choose it. Truth is, none of those theories worked for me. As I said earlier, I am not the hero of this story.

Daye is. Refmonk Daye is.

He always has been, right from birth. He was the chosen one. I guess it worked for him.

Refmonk was the last out of two sons and the most gifted Mage his clan had ever had.

It was prophesied that he will bring the End of Days; what that meant, only the gods knew. It was however interpreted that it meant the total destruction of the clans.

He was on course to make that happen till he met someone who showed him who he can be as opposed to who he was meant to be.

This is a story of how it all happened.

##### MAP OF CLOVER CIRCLE AND THE OLD LANDS

## Chapter 1- Hello Deer

Refmonk stood unamused and utterly bored. In fact, he was extremely irked. He was just fed up with the whole training process now. Even at age fourteen, he was the strongest Mage in his clan, the Dayes and the idea of his elder brother who he was stronger than taking him through training only flared him up the more.

"One more time Ref", Satir his eldest brother called out in his baritone and brought his mind back to the training he was undergoing. He narrowly looked at him to express his displeasure but decided to indulge him for the sake of it.

However the pride in him won't let him be submissive to Satir. No way! No way in Mage Hollow.

Mage Hollow had been home to the Daye clan who were Mages and their mortal enemies the Utis, Makous and Dubas. These clans had been at each other's throat for the greater part of their existence. They used to fight for virtually everything; land, mineral resources or even water.

"Satir, this training is very ridiculous. I have been shooting fireballs with my eyes since I was three" Refmonk snapped at his elder brother. Refmonk knew he was right. He had more natural magic ability than any child Mage ever born in the Daye clan and he knew that. It was his strength and also his weakness.

"Really, you think I am no good as your trainer? Alright, let's have a duel." Satir said with fire in his eyes.

"Fine, but just know you asked for it." He said coldly.

Satir threw two fireballs straight at him, but with great ease, Refmonk effectively blocked them with the targets he was practicing with.

"Is that all you've got, I am already getting bored," Refmonk taunted.

Immediately the reek around Satir changed from a bright yellow to a reddish yellow colour mimicking his rage. The reek is a kind of glow that surrounds a Mage when they are using their magic for any strenuous activity of any kind say for battle, practice, meditation and chores. A Mage's reek does not perform any defensive or offensive function. It only acts as an estimation of a Mage's power or level. Depending on the level of a Mage, their reek has a unique colour.

For a novice Mage, it is a turquoise reek. An intermediate Mage has a bright yellow reek whereas a senior magician has green reek. However a Mage can increase his raw strength if he powers his reek with his rage and that adds a reddish tinge to their reek. This makes them stronger but also meant that they burn out early since they are expending too much of their magic force. The magic force was however regenerated after the Mage had rested.

Before Refmonk knew what happening, he was sinking fast in quick sand. At first, he was terrified. No one had ever cooked up such a spell before. They could manipulate fire and the air out of the universal elements. Every novice Mage must learn that. After all, its standard practice. But no one had managed to manipulate earth or water. Not even him, Refmonk with all his natural ability, creativity and talent.

He was losing this duel and needed to do something really quick. This quicksand spell was taking a toll on him. How Satir managed that spell was beyond his comprehension. He was now bemused and angry all at the same time. He had never lost a duel and wasn't about to lose one now. Moreover, he had to find out how his brother did that but he knew Satir won't tell him. Therefore he had only one option - to beat the truth out of him.

"You look surprised little brother. Now let's end this before you get hurt... You are talented but you are no match for me" sneered Satir.

"Wow, I am impressed... Okay, time up, my turn" Refmonk shot back almost tiredly.

Suddenly, he closed his eyes and when he opened them they were turned all white. His hazel pupils had disappeared and his white hair had stood on ends as if the wind was blowing it. In the Daye clan, only Refmonk had white hair. Satir and his dad had dark hair. But Refmonk had always been exception to almost every rule. He took after his late mom, Drukii who had pristine white hair.

Young Mages took after the physical features of their fathers. It is believed that magic force in its very essence was received from their fathers and as such that formed the basis of their very being. Their mother gave them their sense of creativity and their will power. Thus what a Mage inherits from their mother is more innate than physical. However, it is also acknowledged that a stronger Mage would definitely have had a stronger mother. After all, what is a Mage without a strong will and their creativity?

Satir started shouting hysterically. Apparently, Refmonk had locked him in a brutal pentagram. This was a new move he had created he called the Mind Cell. It's a telepathic move that made the opponent fight themselves and possibly wound themselves in the process. He had made an illusory copy of Satir sinking in his own sand grave and placed it in his head. Satir believed it to be real and thus started trying his best to get out of his own death trap. Opponents taken unawares by this move will simply self-destruct so the more Satir tried to get out of it, the more power he expended. Eventually, he burnt out and gave up. The duel had ended and Refmonk was the victor.

"You don't like a taste of your own medicine I guess" Refmonk teased.

"How... How... did you do cast the Tuareg's Grave on me?" Satir asked embarrassed. He hadn't shared his newly created move with anyone so imagine his surprise when the same move he used moments ago was replicated on him.

"You think I did that? I couldn't have possibly cast that spell" Refmonk admitted honestly.

"I just had to make you think I did. That made you let up on your attack on me and focus on defending yourself. It was a move I had made up a few days ago. You see, I had no one to use it on so I used it on a deer in the forest. Thankfully, it worked. I had been looking for an opportunity to use it on a real Mage to see how it will fare. For now, I think my Mind Cell worked pretty well on you" Refmonk explained.

"Interesting revelation there. And here I was trying to beat you with my new move. I am impressed" Satir said honestly. Refmonk couldn't believe his ears. That was some high praise and it was coming from Satir? Satir never lavished praise on anyone, except himself of course, so that coming from him just had to mean something.

"Thank You Satir" Refmonk said gratefully.

"You will still follow the training schedule I have planned for you" Stir said in a very serious tone.

Refmonk's face fell. He just couldn't believe it. Even after beating Satir, his "trainer", he still had to go through training again with him. Unbelievable!

"No. This is impossible. I am better off on my own" Refmonk snapped.

Satir just shrugged and started walking away. Satir had been put in charge of training his younger brother. Their father Saalu had intentionally done that to punish Refmonk and teach him some humility and discipline. Satir was the stark contrast of his brother. He was very responsible and followed the rules religiously. He was almost the perfect son.

Refmonk on the other hand was a complete rule breaker. His penchant to break rules was almost legendary and he had earned notoriety in all of Mage Hollow. Refmonk had always been a free spirited person and a rebel at heart. He broke the rules for the fun of it and sometimes because he just didn't understand their purpose in place. After all, they had magical powers; why would anyone want to hamper their progress by making a bunch of old boring rules?

Moreover some of the rules just didn't make sense to him. For instance, he didn't get the reason why young Mages like him were not allowed to venture into Orc Cove alone or without supervision. For the sake of all that was meaningful, the Orc Cove had the Spirit Forest, the best forest he had ever seen and he loved hunting and practicing his spells in there, alone. That way, no one sees them and learns them.

So three days ago, when he broke into the Spirit Forest undetected and tried his Mind Cell on a deer, he broke a rule. Well, honestly, this was not the first time he had done that but this time he had really caused trouble and there will be hell to pay. He didn't know what he had done but consequences have no mercy on the ignorant.

## Chapter 2- The beginning of the End

Chief Muthar sat on his ivory throne and passed a cursory glance at his palace. He had done very well for himself and his people. He nodded in self-approval. He knew he couldn't take all the praise for himself, but sometimes eulogizing yourself is good for one's soul so he continued anyway. His forefathers, the great Orcs of old had done great settling them here and making a village for them here. But he, Muthar was taking his clan, the Makous to a new level. He closed his eyes and began to visualize the great development he was going to bring to his clan. A smile slowly spread across his face. He obviously liked what he was seeing in his mind's eye.

"Chief Muthar, Chief Muthar..." a piercing shriek woke up the chief from his reverie.

"What is it Kalia? He shot back in anger.

"Chief, We... we found..." Kalia said trying to speak and catch her breath at the same time. She had been running about a mile to tell the chief the news. The bad News.

"You found what? The chief thundered, his patience running thin. Speak young orc, speak!" Orcs obviously didn't like to be held in suspense. Maybe not all Orcs, but chief Muthar certainly hated it. He was a man of few words and all action.

"Chief, we... we found the scouts who operate near the border of the Spirit Forest. They...they are all dead. Kamba was with them. He died too"

Ka...Kamba? Muthar asked in a surprised tone. He just couldn't believe it. The news made his legs weak and he slumped into his chair.

Kamba was the leader of all the Orc scouts. He was the best there was and his loss would be greatly felt by the whole clan. However, one person was going to feel it more than anybody else - Chief Muthar. He had grown up as a child with Kamba's father. They were the best of childhood friends. There have been many times his brash attitude and hot-headed approach to situations had lead him into life-threatening situations and Kamba's father, Chiru had saved him more than once.

After Chiru's death, he adopted Kamba as his own son. Muthar and his wife couldn't bear a child of their own. It is a requirement to bear a child of your own as a chieftain so that your throne will be passed on from your generation to the other. It's been many years now and Muthar still had no heir. He would have been ousted or contested for the throne but he was the strongest of the Orcs so no one dared to do that. Moreover he loved his people. The only thing he loved more than his people was his wife. That explained why he never married another or left her.

And now Kamba, whom he loved like the son he never had was gone. Kamba reminded him of himself. Even as a crown prince, he had a rare skill as a scout. He had risen through the ranks until he became the head of the scouts and eventually chieftain. Kamba was also on his way to achieving such as a feat. In fact, Muthar saw a younger version of himself in Kamba. Only that Kamba was a little smarter than he was at his age but obviously easier to kill. The last bit he never knew about but it was very apparent now.

"So much for being smart" he muttered under his breath. Don't mistake his sarcastic tone for apathy. Chief Muthar was hurt, angry and shaken. And that was his very own way of expressing it. Orcs didn't express too much feelings. A Chief especially was never allowed to be sorrowful or act in despair since he was a symbol of hope and strength of his clan.

"Where are the bodies?" Muthar finally managed to ask.

"Still at the border of the Spirit forest" the other scout who came with Kalia managed to say. We left them there to run quickly to tell you chief"

"You left them there? He thundered. Get some other scouts and bring them here. Quickly!"

"Now you, he pointed to the other scout who had come with Kalia. Summon the elders here at once"

"Yes Chief", with that, they sped off to do what Muthar had commanded.

The five principal elders of the Makou clan arrived to find Chief Muthar with a forlorn face and in a pensive mood. Chief Muthar welcomed his elders and informed them of the situation at hand. The elders also had a look of disbelief on their faces.

"Who could have done that to us?" they kept whispering to themselves.

Shortly afterwards, Kalia and the other scouts brought the bodies of Kamba and the others to the palace. Chief Muthar and the elders went forward to inspect the bodies.

Chief Muthar himself had been a scout in his younger days despite the fact that he was a crown prince. The laws of the Makou's stipulated that every young Orc must study in four disciplines before they became a fully matured orc. The disciplines included Scouting which comprised of Hunting, Combat and Cove Defense, Legislation which was comprised of Making and Setting laws, Diplomacy which comprised of Oratory and Inter-Clan relations and finally Construction. After studying in all four disciplines, an Orc finally chooses two disciplines that were their strong suit and serve the Makou clan in one of such capacities. A crown prince was no exception.

Muthar hated diplomacy. He never saw wisdom in pretending he liked something when he had nothing but total abhorrence for it. Diplomacy called for trying to please everyone and that irked him so much. He failed woefully in those disciplines. His favourites of the disciplines were Scouting and Construction. He loved everything that required exertion of physical strength. For the ones which required mental prowess, well he didn't really care about them. He was going to be chief one day, and he will have elders who will take care of that. After all, Orcs must be resourceful, brave and strong. Very strong. He always told himself.

The physical inspection of the bodies began. Chief Muthar checked for any lesions and wounds but didn't find any. The corpses looked very rigid, dry and smelled funny. They had just been dead for a few hours so the funny smell didn't quite make sense. He took a second look at the corpses and realized that it appears as if their very magic forces have been sucked out them.

"They died from a strange magic" he said sadly finally to the elders and scouts present.

"Strange magic?" Kalia asked in disbelief.

"You heard me Orc" Chief Muthar bellowed. He was a man of very few words and didn't like repeating or explaining much of the things he did or said.

Nobody dared to ask a question after. They all began whispering among themselves.

Finally they all agreed that this could be the handiwork of the Mages. All the Clans had magic; the Orc's magic was in their superior strength to the other clans. The Utis, the Dwarf clan's magic was in their ability to build and create powerful weapons. The Dubas, the Werewolf clan's magic was in their transformational ability and speed. Only the Mage could project their magic outwards and on other living beings except themselves.

However, they all agreed that the Mages will dare not start a war with them. At least not now. They had more numbers and were much stronger than they were. It will be really stupid on the part of the Dayes to try an attack on them at this time but the more Muthar thought about the audacity of the Mages, the more vexed he was.

"We will break their bones" Muthar hollered.

"Chief, we cannot declare a war against the Dayes if we do not hear from them or get proof that they caused these deaths". Vesta one of the elders advised.

"Yes chief, Vesta is right" Another Elder added. "Moreover, it will be quite hasty to destroy the peace in Orc Cove without concrete proof. "The Mages are repulsive and arrogant but they won't dare kill one of ours"

Those words of advice got Muthar thinking again. "What do you suggest we do?" He asked desperately.

Vesta suggested that they send emissaries to Mage Hollow to verify if their scouts were really killed by the Mage clan.

They agreed. Kalia and the other scout who broke the bad news were chosen to go to Mage Hollow. The assertion was that they were the Orcs that found the dead bodies so they would be in the position to better explain to the Mages. Two other young Orcs well versed in oratory and diplomacy were chosen to go along with them.

Tomorrow, they venture out on a clan mission. The peace of the whole Cove laid on their shoulders, in their mouths and actions more specifically.

And they dared not mess it up.

## Chapter 3- Diplomacy

Kalia couldn't sleep that night. It was the eve to their journey to Mage Hollow. Somehow, she had an ominous feeling she couldn't shake off. She knew nothing was going to be the same. The death of Kamba had put a huge burden on her shoulders; a certain responsibility she was not quite sure she was ready for.

She turned on her bed hoping sleep will be merciful, drift by and carry her to dreamland. She reckoned that would take away the terrible feeling she had in her stomach. Things would just be alright if she slept, she reasoned. However, after several unsuccessful attempts at sleeping, she awoke from her straw mat and ventured outside.

The biting cold had no mercy on her skin. Orcs had the one of the hardest exteriors in the whole of Clover Circle. It was a wrong decision not to have put on one of her numerous hide skins she had in the cottage. She attempted to go back into her room but quickly decided against it since the cold was a necessary distraction. It kept her from thinking about what was going to happen tomorrow.

All she could think about was how there were no stars in the sky and how all the fireflies seemed to have vanished. Kalia loved the fireflies. She often thought about them. She often wondered how their kingdoms looked like. She wondered if they had structures like all the clans did in Clover Circle. Kalia sometimes spoke to them when no one was watching. It was not as if they spoke back but she enjoyed their seeming conversation all the same.

It seems no one in Orc Cove wanted to listen. Everyone knew so much and everyone wanted to say something, command you or give pieces of advice. But the fireflies listened. They seem to understand her fears. They never judged or pretended to know more than they did. This quality endeared them to her. But tonight they were not around. When she needed someone to listen, when she needed them the most. Bummer! She was alone and that was not great.

"You are going in the name of the Chief Muthar the brave and supreme leader of Orc Cove" Vesta assured. "It is your duty to find out whether the Mages are responsible for the deaths of your brothers. Come back with a good report. Your Chief bids you go and we wish you well."

"You must understand that this mission is of utmost importance and you have no excuse to fail." Chief Muthar added. "Don't come back if you fail." His idea of a pep talk scared them even more. They had always known the importance of this mission but hearing those words from the Chief increased the pressure. But somewhere in their fears, they found the will to be brave. They could not fail and they knew it.

The journey from Orc Cove to Mage Hollow was quite long. You had to pass through the Spirit Forest that is more like a never-ending spectacle of trees. However, they were scouts and if anybody knew their way around such places, it had to be them.

Orcs loved to travel in style. They used rhinos as a means of transport. All scouts during their training were tasked to capture a rhino from the wild that would later be tamed to be used as their very own means of transport. There was no rule forbidding the capturing of more than one rhino from the wild. It was actually encouraged since Orcs who were not scouts also needed means of transportation too. It was as a result of such benevolence that the two other Orcs who were not scouts were riding too. In fact, almost every family in Orc Cove had a rhino or two since the domesticated rhinos were allowed to populate however, it took quite a while for baby rhinos to mature for riding.

As they journeyed, they talked about a host of things. Apparently, none of them had ever been to Mage Hollow. The scouts had seen it from a distance but they had never ventured into it. They had no business there. After all, the rules forbade them. No clan member was to venture into another clan's home except on a diplomatic mission. There were always sparks when members of the various clans met in the same place. Competition between them was always rife. None of the current crop really understood why they felt an inherent need to outdo members of a different clan. Their history teachers explained that it was a matter of clan pride but deep in their hearts, they knew there was much more history behind the story. Sometimes they took the whole competition thing too far.

Before it turned dark, the emissaries arrived. The Mage guards accosted them and had their weapons taken from them. Kalia suspected they would be sent to the Mage Leader's palace first so she and the other scout made up their minds to look around and make a mental note of the streets of Mage Hollow consequently. They needed to do this just in case diplomacy didn't work and war was declared. They could attack and capture their leader if there ever was such a need.

However, their plans didn't not take shape. Before they could implement it, a black cloud covered their eyes. They couldn't see any longer. The Mages were smart. They couldn't read minds but they knew all about military strategy and about immobilizing spies. At least they suspected these Orcs were spies so they did what they had to do.

After a while, they arrived at the palace with their eyes still cladded.

"Open their eyes now. We don't want to antagonize our guests, do we?" They heard a new voice say.

"Boys, I am sorry for any trouble they might have caused you. Normally my guards are a little more accommodating." Fey added when the Orcs could see again.

Fey was the Leader of the Mages but he had the demeanour of a young Mage. He was very wise but very playful and found a funny angle to any situation. This lead to disagreements between him and the other elders sometimes. They never doubted his leadership qualities; they just felt he should be more serious. He was not supposed to be duelling with the young Mages and rarely staying at his palace.

All the other leaders before him had had their own flaws. Keindi was popular with the women. He was a chronic womanizer. Sidi was a powerful Mage but had drinking problems. Fey's flaw was just being young at heart. His flaw pales in comparison to that of the two leaders before him but it was still a very big problem. It is often said if you play with puppies, they end up licking your face. The fear of the council was that one day, one of the young Mages will just beat him in a duel and that will bring his office into disrepute. Everybody knew Refmonk could. It was just a matter of time.

"Chief, we were..."

"Call me Fey, that's what all my friends call me" Fey interrupted one of the diplomats before he could state why their mission.

"Ok Chi... Chief Fey" the diplomat said in a confused tone. For someone who always had a way with words, this new turn of events had completely unsettled him.

Fey laughed at the diplomat's frustration. He was loving every bit of it.

"No. Not chief Fey. Just Fey" the chief offered with a grin.

"F.....Fey" He finally said after he had regained his composure. We bring you greetings from Muthar the brave and the protector of the Orcs.

"Wow! Muthar... That man is something huh? He barley smiles, Saluu said mockingly.

At that, he proceeded to make a zombie-ish impression of Muthar. The Mage guards burst out into laughter. Almost everybody was laughing. Even the diplomats. The impression was so funny even Kalia nearly laughed but she quickly reminded herself that a scout needed to stay vigilant always, especially if you were in enemy territories.

"I see someone has inherited being grumpy from his chief" Muthar teased Kalia.

The laughter continued but this time only the Mages laughed.

"Chief Muthar and the council of Orcs wanted to inquire about..."

"Wait, there's more? Let me assemble my elders before you tell us the issues.

The palace guards brought a large crystal ball. Saluu brought his hands closer to it and a blue glow surrounded the ball.

"Elders of Mage Hollow. We have emissaries from Orc Cove. One of them is not smiling at my jokes so you can imagine it is a very serious issue. Your presence is needed here. Come at once." Saluu sent a Wind Message to elders.

The elders knew this was a matter of urgency. Saluu rarely called for an emergency meeting. His usual jovial disposition seemed to have disappeared when he sent that message. That meant something quite serious had happened. The last time that happened, it was none other than Refmonk who had broken a rule, again. He had beaten a Mage older than him black and blue. That was a serious offense since public display of aggression and brutality was forbidden in the clan.

The Dayes were quite a small clan and they needed to be closely knit. Misunderstandings were to be settled at the palace. Fey had been effective in that area. He made sure a compromise was reached and the right thing was always done.

Nevertheless, Refmonk had a good reason for beating up the other Mage. The mage had been bullying him since they were kids. Now, Refmonk was much stronger than he was and it was time for retribution.

All the elders arrived at the palace looking very anxious. They were not surprised to see the Orcs because Fey had foretold them of their arrival. The question that seemed to be on their minds borders on why the Orcs were there at that time. The last time Orcs or members of any other clan were there, it was 200 years ago.

They still communicated and traded with one another but they never ventured into another clan for any purpose. All trade was done from Trade Central which was found right in the middle of Clover Circle.

"Now that my elders are here, Orc, you were saying?" Saluu said relaxed in his throne.

"Chief Fey" The diplomat began unrepentantly. The idea of calling a whole chief of a clan by just his first name didn't sit well with him at all

He continued, "Your compatriot, Chief Muthar gave us this enormous task. About two days ago, we lost three of our scouts who patrolled the Spirit Cove, our lush forest. After doing our checks, we found out that they died from strange magic"

"So you are effectively trying to say we killed your scouts?" Rikai, one of the Mage elders blurted out. Rikai was a strong Mage but had a quick temper. He was a very principled Mage but he had a short tolerance for baseless accusations such as the one he was sensing from the Orc diplomats.

"No. I am not implying that. If that had been the view of Chief Muthar and the council, you will not be seeing four Orcs but the strength and pomp of the whole Orc army." The diplomat quickly retorted.

"We are just here to seek clarification. You are the only clan that can project its magic outwards. Whilst we are not saying this is a calculated attack on us Orcs, we just suspect that maybe one of your own has been dabbling in sorcery and the result is what had caused us our grief." the diplomat added.

Well, the claim now sounded very plausible. Fey have all heard the rumours about how Refmonk had been experimenting with spells and he has been inventing new moves lately. They also knew that if anyone will be guilty of this, it could be him. Thus, he was their main suspect now. It just had to be him or no one else.

"I understand your grief and your cause to suspect us but I can assure you that we are not the cause of those deaths. Currently, I don't have any evidence to support my assurance but I give you the word of a Chief and the bond of an honest man" Fey rebutted.

He believed in Refmonk despite the boy's shortcoming. He knew that he would never have the courage to kill someone though he was capable of breaking their bones in a fight. 'If you are not pleased with my word, you are welcomed to stay for a while and look around for evidence. We will treat you as our guests and help you in your investigations"

If a Mage murdered anyone, their reek will turn black and there was no way to reverse that. No spell could hide that. The last time they had news on Refmonk, he was before them about to face the verdict for beating the bully and that was three days ago. His reek was intact. It could not be him after all Fey figured.

## Chapter 4- The Journey Back Home

It had been a day and a half since the emissaries arrived at Mage Hollow and so far it looked as if their journey had been in vain. They had not been able to find the Mage or Mages responsible for the deaths of Kamba and the other scouts. Their visit had just not yielded the results they sought.

If there was any positive thing about the mission, it was that they were quite sure the Mages were not the culprits they thought they were. That, and now they have secrets to the layouts of the Mage Hollow. That information will be invaluable should war be declared and there was a need to invade the Hollow.

They had learnt a thing or two about the lifestyle of the Mages too. Their levels of research and innovation were very unsettling. Their Mage training schools were always coming up with potions and spells that were quite dangerous if used in warfare. They Mages have even reduced the quantities of fertilizer they purchased from the Orc traders at Trade Central.

The assumption among the Orc traders was that the Mages had given up their agricultural activities to favour other endeavours. However they realized that the Mages had developed a unique potion they called Seedly. This increases the yields of crops in three folds when added to half the quantum of fertilizer from the Orcs.

Kalia couldn't shake off feeling frightened. Owing to these new advancements, the Mages might become a great force. Maybe even bigger than Utis, the Dwarf clan.

After they have had their last meal and said their goodbyes, they proceeded to leave for their home, the Orc Cove. They have missed it terribly. It's been only a short time at Mage Hollow but they couldn't wait to get back to the warmth of their huts. Mage Hollow was hot. Too hot for them.

They had escorts who brought them through the Hollow gates till they got to the border near the Spirit Forest. Now all that stood between them and their home was this forest. So they thought. How wrong they were.

Immediately they entered the forest, they suddenly realized that they had forgotten all the mental notes they had made of the layouts of Mage Hollow. Orcs had retentive memories. They never forgot anything they made a mental note of especially if they decide to hold a grudge. They never forgot.

This was strange, then they remembered their last meal. They had the inclination that the Mages might have poured a memory potion into their food. Now that they thought about it, the soup they had taken the corn with tasted a little different. They thought the alcohol in it had fermented further. Now they knew better.

They had been tricked. The Mages just couldn't let them leave with their secrets, could they? However some things were not right. This potion wasn't like any other memory potion they had known in the past. This took a while to take effect and left an after taste. It was formulated to effect selective amnesia of some sort. The potion didn't erase all memories, it just took away knowledge of locations acquired in a day or two. The potion came to be later known as Disorient.

"Kalia, these Mages are geniuses" One of the diplomats said to Kalia. I never suspected they will do such a thing"

"I feel so embarrassed right now. That's what happen when you let your guard down" Kalia responded.

After they had gotten into the forest, they stopped to think of a defence; a common front to put up when they are asked to give an account of their mission. They dared not admit that contrary to their expectations, they enjoyed Mage Hollow. That Mage Hollow wasn't so bad after all. Worse, that they enjoyed their mead and porridge and much worse, that they failed in their mission.

"What do we tell Chief Muthar and the elders?" One of the diplomats asked hoping someone has a good answer.

"We tell him the truth" another diplomat added.

Kalia laughed and suddenly said with a stern face "How do you think your head will look hanging on one of the poles in Galva Square?

The diplomat whimpered as he held his head. He dreaded the reality of what Kalia had just said.

They all dreaded Chief Muthar. They loved him but they knew he was a Chief who considered the advice of his elders. The council would consider their mission a failure. They were not able to pin the death of Kamba and the scouts on the Mages simply because they lacked evidence and they couldn't bring the layout that will aid their conquest should there ever be an immediate need to invade Mage Hollow.

If there was anything they feared more than Chief Muthar, it was Galva Square. People have faced the Chief and survived but no culprit tried and taken to Galva Square ever came back alive.

Orcs may be quick tempered but they had honour and they upheld it religiously. They remembered with chills how an Orc who was caught stealing from Tika's Tomb, the burial grounds for the Chiefs of old was humiliated at the square. He was eventually impaled and had his head hanging from a spike. It was a gruesome death but befitting of his crime nonetheless.

Thievery was not frowned upon among the Orcs. There was no rule against such an act. It was silently encouraged. It was believed that the better thief you were, the better scout you could become. Stealth was a cherished trait among the scouts. Chief Muthar himself had been light-fingered in his younger days. And he was really good at it. All thieves caught or reported were sent for scout trials, no punishments. It was only fair that they served the clan with their talents.

This Orc however had been the architect of his own downfall. He had proverbially dug his own grave. Only this time, he wasn't buried in one after he was killed. His corpse had been incinerated because he died a shameful death thus he was not considered worthy to be put in the earth. The Orcs had a great respect for the earth and by extension Tika's Tomb. Tika's Tomb was considered sacred thus no one ventured into it except the Orc leadership and Dinga, the royal executioner and undertaker of royal corpses.

"We will tell Chief Muthar the truth. Our truth" Kalia said with a grin

"Our truth?" One of the diplomats asked puzzled. "What is our truth?"

"We will tell the chief and the Elders that the Mages were not responsible for the deaths and we got the layouts of Mage Hollow" Kalia offered.

"Our ancestors be praised... Kalia you are so brilliant" The diplomat said again.

"Wait, do you remember the layouts now? The other diplomat asked suspiciously.

"No I don't. It's apparent none of us do but we can't go back to Orc Cove empty handed. No way!" Kalia explained bitterly

"But that's lying. Lying is not condoned in Orc Cove. We will be killed" the diplomat said.

"We will be killed anyway for failing this mission" Kalia added

The scouts thought about the compelling argument Kalia was raising. She was right. They will die anyway. They knew better than to have failed the mission. Now that they have failed, they would have to face the consequences. And after all, their version of the truth was not exactly a lie. They had no evidence to pin the deaths on the Mages and they had the layouts until they all couldn't remember them anymore.

"Wait, my fellow Orcs" the other scout among them said.

At that request, they halted their rhinos to listen to what the scout had to say.

"I think we should tell the whole truth, maybe the elders and the Chief will have a solution to what happened to us" the other scout continued.

"You have a death wish right? One of the diplomats asked laughing.

"Think about this. Orc Cove just lost three of its scouts, perhaps the best it had. You guys are the best diplomats we have and Kalia and I are two of the most promising scouts in the whole Cove" he countered

"We know that. What difference will that make? Rules are rules" Kalia asked.

"A whole lot. You maybe be as clueless as I am now about the layouts but if you think the leadership council can't bend the rules, then you have forgotten a lot of things. These are perilous times. If there is a war coming, the elders will want to be prepared. Skill win battles but...

"...Numbers win wars" Kalia interrupted.

"Great! Kalia. You remembered" the other scout said excitedly. Kalia just shrugged and smiled.

"We are some of the skilled Orcs out there. The Elders won't kill us now that they'll need numbers" Kalia said

The all agreed to narrate exactly what happened and put themselves at the mercy of the chieftain and the elders. That was the best alternative. They were all going to die someday, telling the truth will make sure that doesn't happen soon.

How wrong they were.

They moved their rhinos and continued their journey. Suddenly, they realized that the aura of the whole forest had changed. The whole forest smelled like death now. They didn't know the smell of death but they presumed that if death really had a smell, this had to be it. There was no mistaking it.

The air had suddenly become very thick and they couldn't breathe. They were very frightened. Fear itself stood face to face with them but they couldn't make out what it looked like. They couldn't see clearly as they were fighting for their lives.

It was a fruitless fight. You just can't fight what you can't see. The Orcs perished.

## Chapter 5- This Means War

Chief Muthar leaned by one of the pillars in his palace. It had been a whole week since the expected arrival of the diplomats they sent to Mage Hollow. There was no way to explain it. He reckoned that if the scouts needed more time to conduct their investigations, they would have found a way to send a message to him and the elders. If they had been abducted in Mage Hollow for stealing their layouts, they would have received news from the Mage clan. So far, no news, more worries.

Vesta walked into the palace to find the chief lost in thoughts. He did not remember the last time he saw the Chief present in his palace but was not sitting on his throne. He wondered where the chief found the energy to do most of the duties he performed. Being the leader of the Orcs was by no means a small task. Heavy was the head that wore the crown indeed. However the leaders of the Orc Cove never wore crowns. They wore a small enchanted band of different ropes called the Hliki.

The Hliki was passed from Chief to successor. Every Chief added one rope to it. Then it was sewed together to make a very good arm band. It stood for unity of the clan and also signified the presence of the past chiefs. Whoever wore the Hlliki could be assured of the support of all the dead chiefs and their spirits. Muthar never took off his Hliki. Not even for a moment. It was his most prized possession after his wife. The Hliki was a symbol of his authority but also a constant reminder of his enormous responsibility.

"It's a good day Chief" Vesta greeted Him

The Chief didn't respond. Apparently he never heard the felicitations.

Vesta drew nearer and touched the chief. Muthar forced a smile.

"Ah, Vesta my good friend" Muthar said.

Vesta could only smile. He was an indispensable elder in the Orc Council but Muthar had never referred to him as a fried. He was always addressed by His office. It could be that either the chief has realized his true worth or he just needed someone to talk to and Vesta just had showed up at the right moment.

"Have you heard news from the diplomats" Vesta asked the Chief.

"No. I haven't" Muthar said disappointingly.

"I think we should send more scouts to check on the diplomats" Vesta advised.

"Are you not aware that we do not send another batch of flock to the pastures if the ones we sent before have not come home? The chief asked sarcastically. He couldn't take the idea of sending other scouts into Mage Hollow if the ones they sent had not been returned. But he couldn't wait either. Patience was never a virtue among the Orcs. It was a nuisance.

"Chief, I understand you but if we do not send other scouts to Mage Hollow to ask after our scouts, we may never know what happened to them. We will never know if there is a need to prepare for war or who is responsible for the deaths of our sons" Vesta said.

"I think you are right. I am getting too anxious" Muthar said.

"Let us send the scouts to check on them" Muthar agreed.

Muthar spoke to the palace guards and then sent information to the scouts at the leeward end of the Cove. He demanded four of them go immediately into Mage Hollow to find their comrades and bring them home.

The four scouts left as commanded leaving Muthar and Vesta with the most painful task ever \- waiting. Again.

The other scouts began their journey into the Mage Hollow. It was great honour to represent their clan. However this time, their fears outweighed every sense of pride they were feeling now. They felt like they were walking to their deaths, like sheep to the slaughter. If the Mages were truly those who killed Kamba, the most talented of them all and abducted Kalia and her group then the Mages must be really dangerous. They could only wonder what fate awaited them on this mission.

They journeyed into the Spirit forest and took some time to bask in its splendour. They had always wished that they were stationed beside the spirit forest like Kamba was. Now they all knew how wishes could be dangerous.

"Look, there lies Kalia and the others" one of the scouts shouted.

They quickly got off their rhinos and dashed to find four lifeless bodies beneath one of the willow trees. The bodies looked like how that of Kamba and the others looked - pale and hardened. Their mission had come to an end. They just had two things to do now; send information about what they have found out to the leadership council and bring the corpses home for burial. They decided to send one scout home to do the former so the rest could prepare to bring the corpses home.

Vesta was still with the Chief when the scout arrived. They were talking about random stuff just to take their minds off the problems at hand. It was not like they were afraid of war. Muthar actually missed it. He missed the action. He missed swinging his weapon; the deathbringer. But he was fully aware about the carnage that war brought and he didn't want to wish that on his people. He was not ready to let his parochial interest take top priority over the welfare of his people. Thank the stars the treaty had protected them and the other clans from tearing themselves apart for a while now. Now all of that is at the brink of being lost.

200 years ago, the four clans came together to end their incessant fighting and plundering of one another's resources. The signed a treaty to safeguard their welfare and to bind them all to the agreement.

The Treaty stipulated that;

  1. All life in Clover Circle is equal and that no one is to take the life of another whether from his own clan or another even at provocation.

  2. No clan is to encroach on the resources of another. A clan should procure what it could not mine or harvest from their clan from traders of other clans who may have it at Trade Central.

  3. Any creature caught disobeying Rules 1 and 2 needed to be handed over by their Chief to whatever clan they offended to be dealt with as per the rules of the clan in question.

The treaty led to the formation of Trade central as a hub for trade. That way, the traders from the clans can do their trades without entering one another's home. The clans paid a token from their profits yearly towards the maintenance of Trade Central.

The scout sent to deliver the message arrived to find Chief Muthar and Vesta drinking mead in the palace. Orc mead did not taste sweet like that of the Mage clan. It tasted like grief itself. It was very strong and not many Orcs drank it. Most of the mead produced was repurposed for stoking fires. However it was a faithful companion to one going through one trouble or the other. Muthar need it. Vesta just drank along to keep him company. The idea was not to get drunk for the fun of it. They were drinking to distract themselves.

"Chief Muthar, Elder Vesta" the scout paid his respects to the members of the leadership council.

"You are back early" Vesta observed.

"Yes elder, the other scouts thought it wise to send to send me on ahead to deliver news" the scout replied

Muthar and Vesta smelled trouble. Their premonitions were fed by the fact that, the scout did not return with Kalia and his group or the other scouts who were sent later.

"Speak Orc" Muthar burst out when he realized the orc needed permission to break the news.

"Chief, we found Kalia and the other...."

"Where are they then?? Vesta abruptly cut in with the questions that has been on his mind for a week now. Why didn't they come with you?

"Chief they were dead when we found them" the scout said bitterly.

Talk of Deja vu.

Muthar was silent. He never said a word. He stood awestruck. He never thought the Mages will be so bold to kill seven of his Orcs without provocation. They have broken the treaty and war is now inevitable.

He asked the scout who broke the news to round up the other members of the leadership council. The scout left and came back with the four other elders. They began talking about the incidents when the other scouts returned with the corpses. Muthar and the elders went to do the standard inspections of the bodies. It was confirmed. It was really the diplomats they sent to Mage Hollow.

"We have to prepare them for burial" Muthar said finally. The scouts got ready to carry them over to Dinga for the final rites and burial.

Burying seven of his beloved scouts in two weeks was no easy task for a Chief of his calibre. His main concern was the fear and panic that these new burials will bring. He would not be able to manage the rumours that will spread of how the Mages are indirectly declaring war against them. It was often said that rumours contain some truth in them but he was fully aware of how the gossips in the clan were going to spin this thing around with hyperbolic accuracy. That they didn't want to happen since it will cause extreme anxiety in Orc Cove.

They heard a sound and subsequent coughs from one of the corpses. Apparently Kalia didn't perish after all.

"Kalia is alive Chief" One of the scouts shouted.

The council drew nearer to the bodies and helped Kalia up. They had a lot of questions but they had to wait.

After having a drink of water, Kalia told them of all that had happened in Mage Hollow and also in the Spirit Forest. She pulled a locket from under her amour and showed it to the council and the other scouts. She told them of the night she couldn't sleep on the eve to her journey and how her mother came to console her. Phylla, Kalia's mother gave her the locket with a rock in it known as the Pagans Stone. Her mother explained to her that that it was an heirloom kept in her family for ages now. It was reddish in colour when Kalia received it but it had now paled completely.

It was now time for it to be handed over to her since the Pagans Stone had the power to repel evil magic. Her mother believed that if the Mages were really dabbling in evil magic now, the Pagans Stone was going to prevent her from harm. She was to be unharmed and immune to dark magic. But from what she had been hearing since she woke up, she had been dead for about 6 days now.

This could only mean that whatever or whoever ambushed them in the Spirit forest had to be insanely strong to render the Stone almost ineffective.

## Chapter 6 - Alliances

A decision had been reached. War was the next logical action the Orc planned to take since diplomacy obviously didn't work. By killing six of their men, the Mages had spat in their faces. The Orcs were legendary for holding grudges; the only thing they were known to do better than that, was settling those grudges.

Kalia had told them of how she and her team had been attacked in the Spirit forest. How their vision was blurred before they felt their very lives draining from them. They knew whatever sorcerer they were dealing with was very powerful. They were certain that their army could take down the murderer, yet Fey, the leader of the Mages, didn't want to surrender the Mage in question. That made the whole issue quite dicey. A very powerful and blood-thirsty-mage-now-turned-sorcerer being supported and shielded by the entire Mage clan smacked of troubles of all kinds.

Muthar had never liked Fey. To him, Fey was just not fit to be Chief. Their few encounters at the Trade Central always left both of them angry – Fey jesting with the Chiefs about trivial issues, when there were sensitive matters at hand and Muthar being too uptight raising tensions between them.

Once Fey had joked about how the Orcs appeared to offer nothing unique on the market aside from rhino dung. Others might have found it funny, but Muthar had almost punched him. It might have been said in jest, but Muthar felt it an insult to his clan and nobody dared insult his clan. Nobody.

Now he felt like he loathe Fey more than ever. If the scenarios have been reversed, he knew he would have surrendered the guilty Orc in his clan without thinking twice about it. It was the right thing to do. It was difficult but it was very right. Chiefs do not always do the popular things, they do what is right for their clan and sometimes the right decisions and the hard decisions were the same thing.

Fey was not "Chief" enough to take that hard decision, Muthar thought to himself. The best decision would have been to surrender the sorcerer and not bring war on the whole of his clan but if Fey wanted war, he was going to get war - the type that will wipe the Mage Clan off the face of Clover Circle.

However to start a war, they needed to be ready. They had been taught in their Scouting classes that there are four things that could change the tide of a war in a clan's favour. They first was skill, then numbers. These two, the Orcs had more than enough of. The other war winners were alliances and weapons. A clan who factored these in their preparations and handled them effectively was always going to win any war.

The leadership council knew their scouts needed new weapons. They had to make another final trip before the war; a trip to the Dwarf province. The Utis would serve as a great allies should they agree to help them in the war that was about to be waged. Moreover they could provide all the weapons they needed for their war.

Who to send to Dwarf province was now their major source of concern. They couldn't send Kalia. They didn't want to risk losing her now. They nearly lost her once and they didn't want to repeat that again. She was their most promising scout now that Kamba was gone and they dared not lose her now that war was imminent.

"Send me Chief" Vesta offered.

The other elders were surprised. They all had been a little afraid to volunteer since going on a clan assignment now meant that there is a great possibility that you might not come back alive.

"No Vesta" the Chief countered. "You are very valuable to me and to this council. You are simply not expendable" Muthar added affectionately.

That statement warmed Vesta's heart. He now truly understood how much Muthar valued him. Perhaps he really meant it when he called him a good friend the last time but his mind was made up. He needed to go.

"Chief, this mission is one of sensitive nature. The very success of our clan depends on it" Vesta argued.

"For the Utis to join us, they need to be coerced properly. I think I'll be capable of doing that" He added.

The other Mages agreed. They saw the wisdom in the proposition Vesta was putting forth now. Vesta had been a very talented Orator in his youth. But with the treaty in place, there was not much need for diplomats. Thankfully, he was called into service in the council. There, his talents found purpose and worthy expression.

Muthar was still adamant. He didn't want to allow Vesta leave but he knew it was the right thing to do. His father had once told him that "A good Chief makes decisions with his head but judges and affirms those decisions with his heart". In this instance, his head was telling him that Vesta was perhaps walking to his death. However his heart told him Vesta would be able to secure the alliance they seek with the Dwarfs.

"Ok Vesta, you will go" Muthar finally agreed. "But you'll be going with two other scouts".

"Thank You for the honour Chief" Vesta offered his gratitude.

Muthar proceeded to give one of his pep-talks. You would think that being an experienced elder and his colleague on the council, Muthar would have let Vesta off the hook but no. No way. Clan duty came before friendship - classic Muthar.

"Vesta, I need not remind you of how important this mission is. You have been an Elder in these courts and you know how sensitive these matters are. Give it your all. Get us that alliance by all means" Muthar decided to go soft of him but Vesta didn't need to see a fully stern Muthar to understand that his Chief didn't just say words without meaning them.

Vesta was given two other scouts who made the journey with him to Dwarf Province.

The Dwarf province looked quite overwhelming considering that the Dwarf were short creatures who lived in very tall buildings. They had one of the biggest and tallest city gates ever. The Dwarfs had master craftsmen and artisans who had spent the last 200 years building their city.

They were the most developed and the richest of the clans. They made great gain selling their weapons of warfare and hunting to the other clans. However business was quite on the low side since it has been a long while since the clans engaged in a great battle.

Vesta and the other scouts entered the city gates and demanded to see the Dwarf chief on an urgent matter. The guards at the gate search them, confiscated their weapons, covered their faces with a woollen sack and brought them to the palace. Vesta spoke when he felt the woollen sack go off.

"Chief Ormey, it an honour to visit your famed city for the very first time" Vesta Started. "Though we did not see its splendour in entirety since our faces were covered, I must say, your castle is a vision"

"Flattery will not get you far with me, you should know that by now" Ormey Laughed and said.

Ormey and Vesta had once met at trade central and had they left an impression on each other. Ormey struck Vesta as a straight forward and no nonsense Chief. He always smiled but knew when to crack the whip when necessary. His smiles complemented his handsome face. That was the only thing that made him different from Muthar. Vesta also came across to Ormey as dedicated and committed to the course of his clan. He also knew Vesta was eloquent and could sweet talk you into doing his biding - that skill he used a lot at Trade Central. Nobody could forget how he sweet talked a Werewolf clan trader into selling him a bundle of durable logs at a half price.

Vesta started telling the trader a tale of how he had gone out of Clover Circle to the Old Lands. He spun the tale so well that the trader for a moment forgot he was at Trade Central to sell and not to listen to tales. The trader was obviously lost in the make-believe story. No one had been to the Old Lands in a very long time so they couldn't tell affirm or refute the veracity of the story.

After he was done with the story, the trader felt so grateful for the adventure he never argued with Vesta when he told him how much he was going to pay for the logs. Vesta felt he could do this to almost everyone except Muthar. Muthar didn't live fantasies. Vesta feared and revered him too much to trick him into doing his bidding.

Ormey was aware of the sway Vesta held with his tongue and brain. He wasn't going to let this Orc trick him. No way!

Vesta managed a laugh and continued to tell the story about the Orc deaths to Chief Ormey and the Dwarf elders.

"That's really strange" one of the Dwarf elders said.

"Very strange" Ormey added "And you are sure the Mages are responsible for all that?"

"Absolutely Chief... They are the only clan who can cast their magic on other living things. Our Orcs died by the hand of a sorcerer. That we are sure of" Vesta argued

"So I take it that you want to wage war and you are here for weapons" Ormey said

"You are partly right chief" Vesta said "But we are also here for something more. We want an alliance" Vesta said without mincing words.

"We want you to stand side by side with us as brothers" Vesta added.

Ormey burst into uncontrollable laughter. He never expected the proud Orcs to ever come to him for help. Orcs always could handle their own. Moreover they had a greater population than the Mages. There must be something more to this request and he had to know it.

"What is in it for us? This is your war, not ours" Ormey quizzed.

"Chief, it is interesting that you asked this. We, the Orcs acknowledge that you are one of the strongest clans in all of Mage Hollow and if there is anyone we would like having in our corner, it's you the Utis" Vesta flattered.

"In addition, this imminent war is ours. Let me explain chief" Vesta continued.

"If there is really a blood thirsty sorcerer on the loose, he could be coming for your clan after taking us out. Even if he doesn't, the Mages will be much stronger than us and will have an advantage over us. We will effectively be at their mercy. They might even dictate prices at Mage Hollow" Vesta opined.

At the mention of prices, Ormey's indifferent look changed to that of obvious concern. The Mages controlling prices at Mage Hollow wasn't a bright prospect. He wasn't about to let anyone pay peanuts for their precious stones or well-crafted weapons made by his hardworking Dwarfs.

'You make a good proposition" Ormey admitted. "Spend the night here and tomorrow you'll have your answer, then you can be on your way back home. I need to discuss this with my council"

Vesta looked at the scouts he came with for approval and nodded. "Agreed" Vesta said

Ormey discussed the issue with his elders and they realised that they have a stake in the war \- more than they thought they had initially. The Utis were predominantly miners. They mined ores and used the resources to make their weapons. However, the mining activity was such a strenuous one and they wore out easily indulging in it over time. They have heard of a potion developed by the Mages called Prolong that increased vitality for a while. Life would be easier if the Utis could lay their hands on that potion.

Morning came faster than usual. It would seem the universe itself couldn't wait for the alliance to be struck. Well it got its wish.

Vesta also got his answer. The alliance was made. War was imminent and it was time to prepare.

## Chapter 7 - War Is Here

Vesta arrived with the scouts just in time to meet the convergence of the Orc council. He began to explain everything to them.

"Chief, I bear great news" Vesta said excitedly.

"Speak away Vesta" Muthar said hopefully.

"We have the alliance, my chief and elders" Vesta said excited. "...But there was a condition attached to it"

''What did Ormey and his elders want? Muthar asked suspiciously.

"The Dwarf chief and his elders wanted a fifty percent share of the loot we might acquire after conquering Mage Hollow and another fifty percent reduction in the prices of our goods sold to them in Trade Central after the war" Vesta said coldly

"That short, crafty thing" Muthar said angrily "When it is all said and done, I'll deal with him my own way. The treaty is already broken so it will be just right to visit my wrath on those greedy Dwarfs"

"We get their weapons and army too right? Muthar asked after he had calmed down.

"Yes chief. All of that" Vesta confirmed

"That's splendid news. Have the army ready. We attack in five days" Muthar said.

The council dispersed to go to their house to polish their war gear.

Refmonk had crept back into the Spirit Forest undetected once more. How he was able to hide from the Mage and orc guards was something only he could explain. He was practicing some of his spells when he sensed two orc scouts coming towards him. He wished he had perfected his invisibility spell by now since that would have made hiding from these guards a piece of cake. He however, found the tallest mandrake tree and climbed it. He heightened his senses so as to listen for clues as to if he was seen entering the forest and whether the scouts were being sent to find and apprehend him.

"These Mages won't know what hit them" He heard one of the scouts say.

"Yes, we are going to annihilate all of them including the sorcerer they are trying to protect" the other scout added.

"I can't wait for the war to begin. All we know about war, we heard from our trainers and from history. This time, it will be us in action" the Orc laughed happily at the joy he knew he was going to get from smashing Mage skulls.

The other Orc smiled and added "We are going to have some good fun. Fighting alongside the Dwarfs with their lots of weapons is going to make it a very easy battle"

Refmonk couldn't believe his ears. The Orcs were planning on waging war against them? How? Why? He had to get more answers to these questions. He couldn't beat it out of these Orcs. He had only one option, follow them silently and pray they continued their loose talk.

"I am glad Vesta was able to secure the alliance with the Dwarfs. The deaths of Kamba and our other five brothers will be avenged finally" one of the Orcs said.

"It amazes me that even after we sent diplomats to find out if they killed Kamba, they murdered them also" the other Orc added.

"Well, we attack them any day from now. That's the important thing. It's a pity the real day of attack is only known to the leadership council" The Orc said as they walked back towards Orc Cove.

Thankfully Refmonk needed not to follow or hear them anymore. He had heard more than he expected. Truth was, he even couldn't follow them to Orc Cove. That would be suicide. Even at that moment, he was quite dizzy and overwhelmed from what he was hearing. He rested by a giant willow tree and decided to tell the Mage council about what he had heard. However, with his reputation in the whole of Mage Hollow, he didn't think the council will believe him. But he knew someone who will believe him.

"You don't mean it" Saluu asked both angry and surprised.

"I am being serious father. I heard the Orc scouts say it just as I told you" Refmonk cried out. "They attack anytime soon"

"Don't tell me you sneaked into the Spirit Forest again. Ref, when will you learn?" Saluu asked exasperated.

"What? I can't believe this. You are not concerned about the news but only care about the rule I broke?" Refmonk asked

"Ref, rules are rules! They demand to be followed" Saluu bellowed.

Refmonk threw his hands up in the air as if to say his father was impossible. He was exasperated just as his father was. Clearly there was a great misunderstanding between father and son. That was not always the case nonetheless. Saluu used to have a very happy family. His wife Drukii was very beautiful and there was none other who was more imaginative and innovative as her. Drukii made the best of potions in their clan. Saluu loved her more than his very own life and even more after she gave him his most prized possession; two young Mage boys.

A freak accident with one of the experiments that she was undertaking with some of her protégés took her life and managed to take away Saluu's joy too. Since that time, there had been a disconnection between father and children. Saluu hid behind his grief. He didn't know how to relate with the children since it was Drukii who took care of their day to day activities and tutelage. Saluu was always saddled with Council work since he was a member of the council of elders. Saluu resigned from his service on the council after Drukii's death to make time for his children. He tried hard to reconcile with his children and reconcile he did with them except with Refmonk.

Refmonk was just a little child then but he had always been smart. He had always known what he needed and wanted. He had a deep bond with his mum and no one could take her place and make up for the void her death created. Not even his father. Immersing himself in magic and training was the only way to deal with the hurt.

"Wait" Saluu grabbed Refmonk by his hand before he could leave.

"I know I was not there for you when you needed me and I cannot explain how sorry I am for that. Your mother was my life. I had built my whole word around her so when she died, my whole world came crushing. I was so foolish to have lost sight of my blessings; you and your brother". Saluu said with tears welling up in his eyes.

Refmonk had never seen his father so emotional like he was now before. Saluu always appeared to him as a strong man, an astute elder and a disciplinarian, never really as an emotional father. The man plainly didn't understand him and never encouraged his creativity and experiments.

"I just didn't know how to handle the loss and looking back now, I know I handled it badly. I really did. The fact that we are having this conversation right now is enough proof. I know I got immersed in council duties so as to distract myself but the more I got into the council work, the more I disconnected myself from you and your brothers. But Ref, I tried to make amends. I quit my work at the council and all the respect that came with it so that I can make time for you and your brother. Tried as much as I did, you were too far gone. I was too late. You started breaking rules and doing things I never thought you would. I thought it was just a phase and you might grow out of it but you never did. Maybe you wanted my attention. I gave it to you. All of it but you wanted none of it after all. You didn't like my company and that left me very frustrated. I just couldn't get through to you Ref. And now this, you broke one of the strictest rules that have clan security implications?

"I can't believe this. You are more interested in what the clan thinks about me than what I feel?" Refmonk blurted out.

"No son. I am more concerned about you and your brother than anything else. You mean the world to me. That is why I can't stand to lose you. Do you know I could have lost you? You could have been killed by those foul Orcs if you were caught by their scouts" Saluu explained.

Refmonk saw wisdom in his father's words now. The sincerity in his voice made him understand that all that his father did was to protect him from himself.

"I understand you father. I am very sorry for some of the things I have done"

"Some?" Saluu asked surprised.

"There is no need to debate this father" Refmonk managed to laugh just a little. Saluu just smiled.

"Father, you have to believe me. We need to go to the Chief Fey and the elders to tell them all I heard. They need to know there is a war coming and we need to get ready" Refmonk said worriedly.

Saluu was silent for a while. What he said next, shocked Refmonk.

"Well son, I had not been there for you. You have always been on your own. You had never needed my help. Now that you need it, I won't let you down"

Saluu and his son marched to the Mage palace to report the issue to Chief Fey.

Fey stood in the doorway chatting with a palace guard and laughing heartily. Apparently, he was cracking one of his usual jokes.

He put up a straight face when he saw Saluu and his notorious boy Mage coming towards the gates. He knew something was up and this wasn't a courtesy call or any casual visit. Something was definitely wrong. If Refmonk was the subject of discussion, then there was always trouble at hand.

He met Saluu at the gate and greeted him warmly. He just narrowly looked at Refmonk as if to say "What did you do this time around?"

"It's been long my friend" Fey offered salutations.

"I know my Chief. I know I have been away for a while" Saluu replied

"Yes too long a while Saluu, too long" Fey said.

"I have had other duties but my commitment to our clan has never waned" Saluu replied.

"Well, sit down and let me know what brings you and your boy here" Fey said.

"Chief, we bring matters of grave importance; issues bothering on matters of clan security" Saluu said.

Fey's countenance changed. He looked at Refmonk and shook his head. Refmonk only bowed his head to avoid eye contact with the Chief.

"If it is that serious, then I have to call the elders" Fey opined.

He brought out the crystal ball and sent the messages to the elders.

After a while, the Elders of the Mage clan started trooping in. When they were all settled, Fey spoke.

"My elders. We are here because our runaway elder and his famous boy are here with news bothering on our clan security." Fey said in a slightly mocking tone. Most of the elders laughed. Saluu did not. Refmonk didn't find the chief's attempt at a joke funny too.

"In the spirit of all-inclusiveness which forms the tenets of our clan and council, I thought it wise to invite all of us here before they continued" Fey continued after the elders had regained their composure.

"You may speak to us all" Fey said to Saluu.

"My elders, in as much as I think I can relay the issues to you in a very concise detail, I want my boy to speak to you himself since he gave me whatever information I have now" Saluu said.

Saluu then took his seat to allow Refmonk talk. Refmonk stood up to address the elders.

"Leaders of our clan. I may not be as eloquent as some of you are and I know I don't have the best of reputations in your eyes, but if you love this clan like I believe you do, I implore you to please listen to me" Refmonk began.

"About some hours ago, I broke into the Spirit forest to train. I...."

"You what? Rikai burst out in anger leaving his seat in the process. All the Elders were horrified. They knew Refmonk smelled like trouble but they never knew that even he could break such a law.

The council burst into a heated debate talking about what they had heard.

"Something drastic has to be done to this boy, he has just gone too far this time" another Elder said after he managed to get his voice heard over the noise.

Fey succeeded in calming down the elders.

"Before I started, I begged you to listen to me. I know most of you have disdain for me now. But listen to me for the sake of your love for this clan" Refmonk continued after calm had been restored.

Saluu was very happy. He always underestimated how much Refmonk had grown over the years. This singular act was helping him have a re-think. Here was his little boy, standing his ground in spite of obvious adversity and telling a group of fearful and stern elders about his convictions. To say he was proud of him will only be the half of it.

Refmonk proceeded to tell them of how he hid from the Orc scouts and heard all that they said about waging war against his clan because they believe the Mages are hiding a sorcerer who has managed to kill six of their own. He also made them aware of the alliance between the Orcs and the Dwarfs.

There was dead silence after he finished recapping his story. One of the Elders spoke when Fey asked them what they thought about Refmonk's story.

"Chief, we all know that a message is as good as its messenger" If any other Mage had said this, I would have been more inclined to take it seriously but coming from this boy, I hold the news highly in doubt" the elder said.

"Moreover, we were here when diplomats from the Orc clan came to find answers to the basis of the whole war the boy is claiming is going to happen in a few days. The Orc diplomats went satisfied and that was it. We didn't hear any complaints from them anymore. I also doubt the boy" another elder said.

"Chief, I doubt the story too and I think we should find appropriate punishment for this boy before other boys in Mage Hollow start following in his footsteps" a Rikai added.

An incensed Saluu stood up and spoke for the second time upon the arrival of the elders. He had been a silent observer but now he couldn't take it anymore.

"Elders, when did we suddenly become this narrow-minded as leaders? I gave the better part of my years in service to this clan and this very council. I sacrificed the happiness of my boys just to serve the cause of our great clan. You all know how much I love this clan. Did you even think I would for once follow my son to this place if I didn't think the whole idea of an impending war was a very threatening issue? ... If I didn't believe in his story? You may doubt him, but do you have cause to doubt me too? Saluu spoke disappointedly.

Fey decided to give his stance on the matter too. He drew inspiration from advice his father had once given him. His father was not a chief. He was just another powerful Mage but was not on the Mage council too. Apparently his father was awesome at giving great advice than following those pieces of advice himself. His father had known Fey was going to be great one day. He showed much promise as a young Mage despite his obvious flaws. His father once told him "Trust your gut Fey, it is just about the only thing that won't lie to you. If you feel it, believe it" After listening to the story and weighing the views of his elders, what Fey said amazed his elders and even Refmonk.

"I believe the boy" Fey said finally.

"I find it strange that he will enter the Spirit Forest, breaking the treaty in the process and just come here to lie to us about an imminent war. He definitely knew that he would be punished coming here but he did it anyway. I suspect that it's because there was a more pressing matter; something so serious that he would risk being punished by coming here" He added

"I know most of you do not believe him but I ask that we at least investigate the matter. It will be very foolish of us to sit here minding our businesses and be taken unawares by the war. The Orcs alone will not be easy to defeat but a Makou-Uti alliance is one deadly destructive agreement we cannot afford to just let slide" He continued.

"Saluu, what do you think we should do? You heard this piece of news first so I think you have had ample time to think about our chances and can recommend alternative courses of action we need to take" Fey motioned to Saluu.

"Chief, it is exactly as you have said. I think we need to place spies at the border between the Orcs and the Dwarfs. We will know if they really have made an alliance against us. I also recommend we get our troops in order and start training. This war can happen anytime." Saluu added.

The other elders came to the agreement that they really lose nothing if they did whatever Saluu had recommended since it was the right course of action to take. Fey finally gave the order for the Mage warriors to start training and for the spies to be placed at the borders.

If the Orcs thought they were the only ones with "friends in high places", they were sorely mistaken. The Dubas, the werewolf clan had deep-seated hatred for the Orc. The Orcs were the strongest of the clan in terms of stature and build. The Dubas however could only harness the energy from the full moon to transform into their Werewolf selves. Without the power of the full moon, they were just mere human beings with dormant magical power. This made them the weakest of the clans and they were thus bullied by the Orcs for a very long time before the treaty came into being.

This explains why the Orcs could not go to the Werewolves for an alliance against the Mage clan. They rather suspected that the Mages might go to the Werewolves for an alliance. After all, it was the Mages that restored the pride of the Werewolves. The Mages developed a powerful potion that could make the Werewolf clan harness as much power from a half moon that they did from a full moon. This potion later came to be known as Luminescent.

The Mage spies returned with news. Bad news. Their worst fear had been realized. The Orcs had really struck an alliance with the Dwarfs and were thus allowed to freely enter and exit each other's clans without restrictions of any sort.

Fey met with his elders to discuss the issues. It was agreed that they also needed to form an alliance with the Werewolves so as to stand a chance in the incoming war. The Mages also sent diplomats to handle the formation of an alliance and a Makou-Duba alliance was also struck.

Four days came very fast. The Orcs and the Dwarfs were very ready. They had rehearsed their drills and were very confident of victory, so were the team of Mages and Werewolves.

The Orcs and Dwarfs had hatched a very potent plan. In their combat classes, they were always thought that the best element of an attack is its surprise component because an enemy cannot counter effectively an attack it does not anticipate. They planned to surprise the Mages. After all, they didn't know they were going to be attacked today and even if got to know per adventure, they still had another surprise waiting.

The Orc and Dwarf team had suspected that the Mages will also go on to form an alliance with the Werewolves. After all, it was the wisest thing for them to do. They knew the Mages were a very proud clan but they would never fight alone. Moreover, the Werewolves owed the Mages too much for giving them the Luminescent potion and will jump to the defence of the Mages even if the Mages let their pride take precedence in their decision making instead of common sense and do not ask for help. They knew they would have to send spies to ascertain the veracity of their suspicions but they quickly decided against it. If their spies got caught, their alliance would be found out and they would have lost the element of surprise that can help them win this war easily. They did not have to find anything out. The Mages will surely ask the Werewolves for help and the werewolves will accept to help them since they still held a grudge against the Orcs. It was that simple, they figured.

The war council of the Makou-Uti alliance hatched a very simple plan, a simple but very effective plan. They planned that the Orc and Dwarf team will match towards the Bansu Lake at dawn. The Bansu Lake separated Dwarf Mountain from the Werewolf village. That way, they will put the Werewolf village under siege and chip at it till it falls. The Werewolf clan won't have a lot of its warriors protecting it since they will be stationed at Mage Hollow to help fend off attack from the Orc clan. Thus their mountains will be a lot easier to take down. The Werewolf Mountains will crumble at the might of their combined armies. They believed that if they beat the Werewolf clan by capturing their mountains, the Mage-Werewolf alliance will be broken and thus the war will be won. Victory seemed certain.

They proceeded as planned and the things went as they had expected it. The Mages had suspected the Orc armies will march to attack them so they had set up an ambush around the end of the Spirit Forest so as to vanquish them before they got closer to Mage Hollow. They never anticipated that the armies will attack the Werewolves. Small mistakes in war are sometimes the costliest ones.

Arrows flew into the Werewolf clan killing a lot of the Werewolves unawares. The Dwarfs had laced their arrow heads with piece of diamonds. These could cut through even the heaviest shields and amours. The Werewolves were simply not prepared for the attack and hence couldn't send news for reinforcements. Before the sun went down, Werewolf village had fallen.

The Mages waited for the attacks and when the attack didn't seem forthcoming, they decided to set up a perimeter and change the warriors who have formed the perimeter so as to have fresh warriors on guard at any moment in time.

Some Werewolves were able to escape using an underground tunnel built to shuttle their chief in the event that their mountain ever came under siege. Luckily, their chief, Ladu had gone to Mage Hollow to fight side by side with Fey, the Mage chief. The runaway Werewolves run to Mage Hollow to relay the bad news to their compatriots and allies.

They had lost the first battle but not the war itself.

The war went on unabated with the tides of victory seemingly turning occasionally in favour of either of the two alliances. It was almost twelve months of killings and destruction but it was also an opportune moment for our heroes to find their path and step into their own skin.

## Chapter 8 - All For Nothing

The war had taken a toll on the clans. All their efforts had been turned towards winning the war thus they couldn't even plant any crops. They had lost most of their clan members partly due to the war and also due to the famine that plagued their lands. The Dwarfs and the Werewolves were hit the most in the wars. They lost a lot more people comparatively. The war was more expensive than what they had bargained for.

It's been close to a year and no side seemed to be winning. Every time a side seemed to be winning, the other came up with a more innovative reprisal attack. The more they lost their population, the more they were poised to end the war with one swift attack. However, the plan never really worked. The clans knew one another too well.

No war continued forever and this was no exception. This war had to end too before the clans battled themselves to extinction. All the clans understood that. It was time to make peace but finding the clan to raise the white flag was much more difficult than finding a needle thrown into the Spirit forest.

Chief Ladu met with Fey. They decided that they had to make peace with the Orcs and Dwarfs. After all, the real cause of the whole war was not established. If they really get to understand what caused the whole war in the first place, then it will be easy to end it.

"Friend, I have fought side by side with you. I have defended you and so have you me. Now it's the time to end all of this. We can't continue like this" Ladu said to Fey

This time Fey couldn't make jokes even if he tried. He was also very worried. All the Mages capable of casting spells had been pushed into the war and that had caused the clan a lot of deaths and subsequent burials lately.

"You are right Ladu but the Orcs won't just make peace. They orchestrated this war in the first place. In spite of that, we just have to think of way to end this war" Fey replied.

"My chiefs, we have to concentrate our final attack on capturing something or someone Muthar loved. If we did that, then we will be able to beat Muthar into submission. Then we submit afterwards too. Mission completed. War has ended" one of the Werewolf elders offered.

"Muthar is a very proud chief. Very very proud. He will never submit" Rikai countered.

"True, he may be a proud chief but he is also a wise one who know how to choose his options carefully. If he attacks again, which I highly doubt, we will defend till he doesn't have the scouts to attack anymore."

"That's a great plan" Fey admitted.

"So what is Muthar's greatest possession?" Ladu asked.

"I would have suggested his heir but we all know Muthar has no son or child at all" Rikai said.

"This one is going to be a challenge" Fey said.

"Let's think about this. Muthar has no heir but he never remarried. That may mean he never loved any woman like he did his wife. Are you thinking what am thinking?" Rikai asked.

Fey laughed. Rikai won't be happy to hear what he was thinking. Fey resisted the urge of cracking a joke by saying that they should get Muthar a Werewolf or Mage wife to marry. He however caught Rikai's drift.

"Are you suggesting that we capture Muthar's wife?" Fey asked, happy he didn't crack the joke. That would have been taking his goofiness too far and would have gotten him in trouble with Ladu who would have found the joke not funny taking current circumstances into consideration.

"Yes chief, exactly" Rikai confirmed.

The others agreed and a plan was hatched to capture Muthar's queen and greatest possession.

At the crux of dawn, the Mage-Werewolf armies moved towards Orc Cove. They planned using some berserker Werewolves as decoys. The berserker started attacking the huts of the Orcs. The Orcs were taken unawares and thus could only produce a knee-jerk reaction to the attack. They just had to defend. Muthar and his scouts moved out to defend against the troop of berserkers. On the quite side, a group of very skilled Mage warriors moved to capture the Orc Queen. They overpowered the scouts guarding the queen and whisked her away. Capturing her was easy but taking her out of the Cove was the most difficult part of the mission. Their only sure bet of escaping without a lot of casualties is to move through Trade central and back to Mage Hollow.

The mini-battle got so intense that the Mages and Werewolf army barely escaped with their lives. Finally they got to Mage Hollow with their package, the Orc Queen. After successfully defending their Cove once again, the scouts went round checking for the wounded so that they could be taken to the healers to be taken care of.

Muthar also went to his palace to meet his elders to plan their reprisal attack. Upon reaching his palace, he found his guards slain. Sensing danger, he rushed into his room to find an empty space. His wife, Mekki was nowhere to be found. He feared the worse but decided to be a little optimistic. He organised a small search party to search around the whole Cove but found no trace of her.

Ormey came as soon as he heard the news with a heavy Dwarf escort to join the Orcs to plan their next rescue mission.

In the wee hours of the morning, a Mage messenger brought bad news. The scouts accosted him and sent him to the palace. Muthar was extremely angry to see him. He controlled himself to at least hear what he had to say first.

"Chief Muthar, we have your wife" the Mage messenger began speaking to the Orc elders and chiefs.

"Chief Fey demands that you come alone with Ormey to the gulley near Trade Central if you wish to see your wife alive again. You......"

"......That fool" Muthar cut in abruptl. With one swift move off his throne, he cut of the head of the Mage messenger with his deathbringer and had it rolling on the ground. "No one threatens us Orcs. Absolutely no one."

Vesta stood up. He was not happy the chief killed the messenger but he knew it was not wise to question the chief. That would make him angrier and that meant more bad news.

"Chief, he didn't finish giving us the details" Vesta said sadly.

"There was no need". Muthar retorted. "I heard what I needed to"

"Ormey, it is great that you brought a small army. I will round up some of my scouts so we go to meet Fey. We are getting my wife back" Muthar added.

"But... Muthar, he asked that we come alone" Ormey objected.

"Don't tell me you trust that Mage chief. I am not going to walk into a trap with my eyes open. No way" Muthar snapped back.

"Let's go then" Ormey agreed. He didn't trust Fey too.

They made the journey to the gulley near Trade Central without being attacked. They hid their troops behind the hills and went to meet the Werewolf and Mage scouts. Fey and Ladu stood near the gulley with some guards. They dropped their weapons and started waving a white flag as soon as they saw Muthar and Ormey approaching. Ormey was now very convinced that they were really walking into a trap. He lifted his hands to signal to his archers to get ready and let the White Death rain as soon as he and Muthar were harmed. Muthar also motioned his scouts to get ready to attack when he gave them the signal. Upon reaching Fey, they were asked to drop their weapons too.

They were sent to Lukka's Fort, a small fort in the catacombs of Werewolf Mountains. The queen had apparently been transported there. They found a table with chairs fit for royalty upon entering the fort. It was not heavily guarded as they thought it might be.

Mekki was released to Muthar as soon as they entered the insides of the fort. She looked unharmed and not in bad shape. Muthar hugged her like he had never did before. He couldn't stand the thought of losing her.

"Did they hurt you?" He asked Mekki.

"Muthar, we didn't although we could have. We knew how much her loss would have meant to you and how much bitter that would have made you. But we are fed up of this never-ending battles. We want this to end" Fey admitted.

"And you think getting a couple of your filthy berserkers to my Cove, killing my people and capturing my wife was the way to get this to end?" Muthar asked cynically

"Well, it certainly got your attention and made you mad. We know you will always respond when you are angry" Fey laughed when he said that.

Muthar flared up the more. He passed his hands by his sides to pick his deathbringer to hack down Fey only to realise that it had been taken before he walked through the gates of the fort.

"We meant no harm Muthar. We really did. We know you want this war to end as much as we do" Fey continued.

"Then you should have considered that before killing my Kamba and five other scouts of mine" Muthar snapped back.

"Once again Muthar, we never killed any of your men. I thought the diplomats you sent to Mage Hollow brought you news to that effect?" Fey countered.

"I don't believe this. You killed those Orcs before they could even get to Orc Cove." Muthar replied.

The look on Fey's face changed immediately he heard that. Those Orcs didn't even arrive? But his Mage guards told him they escorted them till they got to the Spirit Forest. This was news.

"Look. We didn't kill your Orcs" Fey said defensively.

"Then who did?" Ormey asked.

"Let's think about this carefully. If the Mages didn't kill the Orcs, the Utis didn't, my clan didn't, then someone or something is out to get us. Someone wants us to destroy ourselves through the war and is intentionally setting us up against one another." Ladu said.

They never thought about it in that way. Who could that be? They wondered.

"So all of this was just a case of misunderstanding?" Muthar asked very shocked.

They had to find whoever was behind their troubles.

"My ancestors told us clan stories about some Nymphs in the Old Lands. They are diviners and they could tell us who is out to get us" Ormey suggested.

"I have heard of them too" Fey admitted "But nobody has made a trip to the Old Lands in a very long time".

"The Old Lands is fraught with a lot of dangers. We need to send the best of our troops to enquire from the Nymphs" Muthar added.

The other chiefs agreed and the trip to the Old Lands was scheduled for the next day. The war was officially over. It was maybe time for peace to reign. Or, maybe not.

## Chapter 9- The Old Lands

Refmonk was chosen from the Mage clan to represent their clan. Kalia was chosen from the Orc clan. The Werewolves nominated Sita, one of their most responsible warriors whilst the Dwarf clan chose Ridu, their best warrior and archer.

All the warriors met at Trade Central with their respective chiefs and some elders. The chiefs took turns to hug all their representatives. To avoid the possibility of either scaring the wits out of these warriors or downplaying the importance of the missions through jokes, Muthar and Fey were not allowed to address the warriors

Ormey and Ladu took turns to address the party.

"It's been so long since we all met under calmer circumstances but today, that has been achieved because we all face a common foe. An enemy or enemies so wise they never faced us directly but sought to prey on the envy and mistrust we have had for one another. But today we see the power of unity. We had a glimpse of what we could do together when we formed our alliances. We can do much more because we are much more united than we have been in a long time. It's your duty to find this enemy of ours and help us defeat them. Your clans are counting on you" Ladu said to the party.

"You all have been chosen because of your individual skills and for proving your worth on the battle field. However you have been chosen because we feel very highly of the synergy that all of you will create together. Now we see power that lies in unity. Use it. Always fight together as a unit and no foe can vanquish you. You have the blessings of all four chiefs of Clover Circle" Ormey added.

The party were sent on their way with those words of encouragement and advice. Kalia the Orc rode on her pet rhino and whilst Ridu the Dwarf rode on an ostrich. Refmonk rode on a warthog whist Sita the Werewolf was his own transportation. He simply transformed and sprinted with the rest.

Refmonk particularly was excited to be away from home. He loved exploring. He had always hated all the rules that forbade his movement from Mage Hollow. Now that the rules had been slightly changed, he envisioned a new Clover Circle where the forests and lakes would not be guarded by obnoxious guards but would be free to enter. The prospects made him smile.

Refmonk thoughts slowly drifted from free entry into other clans to why each of these guys with him were chosen, and to even why he was chosen too. He thought upon all he had done, another Mage ought to have been chosen in his stead. Satir his big brother had been obedient and never caused any trouble or harm to anyone. He would have served better. He was even more responsible.

After thinking through all the reasons he could possibly come up with as to how he ended up being chosen he realised that Ormey was right. He had exceptional skills. He did very well in the war and he was the one who discovered the plot by the Orcs to destroy his clan.

However upon all the qualities he possessed that made him the seemingly obvious choice, he knew deep down that he was chosen because he simply didn't deserve it. Not after all the rules he had broken. That feeling of not being qualified enough would have eaten deep into the psyche of some other Mage but not Refmonk. He had too much pride and he had to justify his inclusion. He was going to give his best in service of his clan and to the cause of the mission and the elders of Mage Hollow knew that. In fact they were torn between choosing between the two sons of Saluu. Both were exceptional Mages but they reckon that Satir would feel more deserving of the honour and perhaps won't give his best as compared to Refmonk. Moreover, a formerly troublesome but now reformed Mage was the perfect poster boy Mage Hollow needed at that moment in time.

The council of Orc elders didn't have that much trouble and deliberations in choosing a representative. Kalia had been part of this whole case since day one. She stood up to the plate when Kamba died and played her new role very well. She also did great in the war and she was the only inhabitant of Clover Circle to face the enemy and survive. If anyone has a chance of making it back from the Old Lands alive, their bet was on Kalia.

With Sita the Werewolf, his heroic exploits earned him the call. Sita had been orphaned at a young age. He had to fend for himself at such a tender age. That made him very strong and resourceful. He learned how to defend himself and fight in the streets of Werewolf Mountains. Later his talents were recognized and he was enrolled into the Werewolf Troops. Having distinguished himself in the war, he was chosen to represent his clan.

Ridu was Ormey's own son and heir to the Dwarf throne. He led the clan anytime his father went out of Dwarf province to have military meetings with Muthar. He had great skills as an archer and a leader and Ormey felt his presence in the team will be a great plus.

Even though the journey was a perilous one and there was no guarantee the warriors would return, the chiefs chose the best of the warriors in their clan because of the utmost importance of the mission. Their whole survival depended on it.

Ridu warmed up to Kalia. She was a familiar face because of the alliance his father made with Muthar. Same with Refmonk and Sita. As they journeyed, they got to know one another better and got along well enough.

The road to the Old Lands was everything but smooth. They had been abandoned for so long they were filled with wild creatures of different kinds. Due to the influx of dark magic into Mage Hollow and its surrounding, the natural balance of things had been affected. Most of the animals in the wild have seen morphed into Chimeras. The Chimeras were predators and showed no mercy to their preys.

The party going to the Old Lands had no idea of the existence of the chimeras on the road to the Old Lands. As they journey, they decided to take rest under one of the cedar wood trees along the roads, have dinner, sleep a little and later get back to travelling.

As they slept, two chimeras crept into their midst and abducted Ridu. It was Ridu's turn was to keep watch over them as they slept. The chimeras picked him out easily without any noise and hurriedly hauled him away. At the crux of dawn, the rest of the party woke up to continue their journey only to realise that Ridu was not with them. They immediately suspected that something had happened since it would be unprofessional of him to leave them while he was on guard duty.

Sita was an expect tracker. He studied the area closely and found some tail marks. He followed them with the rest of his team. The trail brought him to a canyon filled with a lot of the chimeras. Apparently that was their nest. They slept mostly during the day and hunted during the night. They kept their prey till the mornings, ate them and then slept till the evening to go out to hunt again.

The rest of the party got to the canyon and to find Ridu hanged upside down with other animals ready to be killed. With eye contact signals, Refmonk and Sita did the berserker move and Kalia followed brandishing her scythe hacking a lot of the chimeras. She threw a small dagger to cut Ridu and threw his bow to him when he got up. The real battle began. The chimeras did a lot of damage with the fire they breathed from their mouths and their snake tails. Finally the team was victorious. They killed all the Chimeras and their queen. Surprisingly the queen was a Nymph. They had heard the Nymphs were good creatures and protected the balance of magic in the Old Lands. They also heard that they were diviners and good healers. They had more questions than answers when the fallen queen of the Chimeras turned out to be a nymph.

The team was greatly wounded and thus needed medication very fast. They made their way out of the canyon but fainted along the road in the meadows.

## Chapter 10 - Uriel The Elf

A turquoise shimmer appeared through the meadows. Uriel had just gotten out of the portal that had brought her to these strange lands. She had no time to do a perimeter check to see if any minions of the dreaded Sakai followed her. She was no warrior. She was just a young acolyte and protégé priestess. Sakai was an angel-like creature who had been cast down to the earth. Her part of the earth had the misfortune of hosting this beast.

Her kingdom had been happy one; full of joy and stable development till Sakai arrived. Maybe he was the result of a mistake her people committed. Maybe not. Either ways, they had to deal with him now or they risk him taking control of their home.

The magician in her town, Shutti, had sent her to this land as soon as the minions of Sakai attacked their temple to find a certain Refmonk who can help them defeat Sakai.

She didn't expect that the portal will lead her here - maybe to another kingdom like hers but certainly not here. If there really was a saviour, this was the last place she expected to find him. Shutti could be crazy sometimes but this was the last of the pranks she expected him to pull. She had always believed that they had a really good chance of beating Sakai but now she knew their chances were very thin considering that their saviour was to be found in this dump of a place.

Maybe Shutti made a mistake. He must have. He just shoved her into the portal he created in a split moment during the attack on their temple by Sakai and his minions. He sacrificed himself so Uriel could make the trip here to find this Refmonk. Maybe the haste in which the portal was created messed up the final destination.

Whatever be the case, she had ended up here, with nobody in sight and has to follow the path to find their saviour. These lands look completely deserted. She knew this mission was always going to be difficult but now it seems almost impossible.

These lands had a dark aura about it. That was another problem since she was not prepared for a fight. All she had in her satchel was food for one day and a healing potion. She travelled the empty roads with anxiety eating her up.

After walking for a while, she chanced upon four creatures lying in the path. They were wounded and barely moving. At first she didn't want to help them. What if they turn out to be common robbers? She questioned that compassionate voice within her. She was not skilled enough yet to fight or outrun four strong creatures. But being from the Order of Priests in Decapolis, it was her duty to show compassion to creatures of all kind. Who was she to renege on her oath when duty called?

She thought.

She stood over and examine them. The healing potion she had with her would suffice for just one of the bodies lying in front of her. Thus she had to pick the strongest of them all so as to help her carry the rest while they looked for help. Her instincts told her the Orc among them could really do that so she healed her. Maybe she was more fascinated about the sight of a female Orc warrior. Kalia healed fast after ingesting the potion. She came around in no time. She griped Uriel by the neck immediately her eyes were open.

"Easy... Easy... I... I am a friend. I just healed you" Uriel managed to say. "Busybees! Drop your guard dear"

"Sorry" Kalia managed to say under her breath. She was still gaining her strength.

"Hi, am Uriel, from Decapolis" Uriel said excitedly stretching forth a hand to Kalia.

"Deca-what?" Kaila asked bewildered. She always thought there were no settlements around Clover Circle. She didn't venture from the Orc Cove because of the rules. She didn't even know about the Old lands until recently. And now there is a Decapolis too? The thought interested her as much as it bothered her. What if this Uriel creature was the one out to destroy them?

Uriel held out her hand for a while and when Kalia did not take it, she withdrew it completely embarrassed. Kaila realized it and tried to make her feel better. She realized that she couldn't be their nemesis if she had really healed her. She could have just left her to die. That's what she would have done herself.

"Sorry. I was just trying to understand this new circumstance. This is what I should have done" Kalia said stretching her hand to Uriel. They shook hands and she said "I am Kalia".

"Oh, I healed you because I thought you were the strongest compared to your friends and you can help me carry them to a healer. I presume you come from around this place and you'll know the way to a healer right?" Uriel explained.

"No. I come from Clover Circle which is quite far from here. We were here looking for the nymphs. I think they'll be ahead of here. They are great healers, I have been told" Kalia replied.

"Let's get to it then. We can't waste any more time" Uriel added.

The two ladies carried the three unconscious guys and made their way towards the habitat of the nymphs. Uriel carried Ridu the Dwarf whilst Kalia carried Refmonk and Sita. The journey continued until they reached a huge thicket full of Elderwood. Elderwood was a mystical tree that sheltered the Nymphs from creatures that would want to harm them.

There seem to be no way to cross or go over the thicket. Uriel remembered that they have a similar mechanism protecting their temple from intruders in Decapolis. She dropped Ridu gently to the ground and went over to touch the thicket.

"Oh you keeper of the gates, I implore you to make us pass. For we come in search of the mighty nymphs who can heal our friends" Uriel spoke to the thicket.

"Your intentions are noble and you have a clean heart. You are therefore granted passage" The biggest of the Elderwood trees suddenly came to life, developed a face and said.

Kalia was startled. She nearly dropped the guys she was carrying and reached for weapon. She calmed down when saw the thicket spread apart and Uriel smiling reassuringly towards her. They made their way into the light the opening of the thicket created.

The ladies couldn't believe their eyes. Such beauty. The flora was just breath-taking. Kalia had always thought the Dwarf Province was the most beautiful place in all of the lands but now, she was rethinking her geography. No place came close to this. She was very sure of that.

Uriel on the other hand had seen something close to this. She had seen similarly striking sceneries in Decapolis but she herself admitted that this sort of looks unreal. Too good to be true. The air was very fresh and everything about the place seemed invigorating to their bodies.

An elder Nymph came to bid them welcome. She smiled when she saw the look of astonishment on their faces.

"It is breath-taking right?" the Nymph asked the ladies. "We had been building this for over a thousand years now. Every day, it gets better than it used to be. If not for the accident..." The nymph said stopped her excited rumblings and bowed her face.

"...Oh Ramio, You have such a loud mouth" another Nymph cut in Ramio's chatter.

"Leymaaar, you know it's been very long since we had visitors. I just couldn't help myself". Ramio said embarrassed.

"All Ramio wanted to say is that you are welcomed" Leymar explained with a smile.

"Oh sorry. Your friends... Apologies.... Quick, follow me" Leymar directed them.

The ladies followed till they came to a crystal clear stream with many stones in it. Kalia recognized a couple of pagan stones in them. Nobody needed to explain to her that the pagan stone that saved her might have come from this stream.

"Drop your friends gently in the Pool of Many Waters. The healing effect of the waters will do the rest"

The girls did as they were instructed and dropped the three guys into the pool. The guys were completely immersed safe for their necks which were on flat slabs of stones outside the pool. All this while, the girls hadn't said a word. Everything was happening so fast. It was all very enthralling.

"Now follow me. The other Nymphs will take care of your friends after they completely healed. I have a surprise for you" Ramio said excitedly.

Ramio literally pulled Uriel and Kalia along. Leymar just laughed. Ramio had always been a character and she wasn't surprised by her behaviour.

"Ayaa... Look, look who we brought. Family" Ramio just couldn't contain her excitement.

Family? Who was Ramio referring to as family? How was Uriel or especially her related to whoever this Aya was? Kalia had questions to which she wanted answers. Aya finally turned to face them and Kalia realised that she was different. Maybe not too different. She just looked like the Mages. Only that she had less hair. Still, she couldn't figure out how she was related to her. The Mages were not family, they were foes. They just became allies a few days ago.

"Aya this are...." Ramio paused when she realized she actually didn't know the names of their visitors. She never did ask actually.

Sensing her embarrassment, Uriel assisted her.

"Uriel and Kalia" Uriel offered.

"Yees, Uriel and Kalia" Ramio said acting as if she just remembered. Leyma just laughed at Ramio. She was actually enjoying her stunts.

"You know she is human right?" Leyma asked Kalia and laughed again after noticing how much Kalia had been staring at Aya all this while.

"I am Aya" The human said with a smile.

"I am pleased to meet you. I have waited a very long time for this moment. You look tired and hungry. Leyamr will give you some food and show you to where you will rest. Tomorrow we will talk more" Aya added.

Tomorrow? What happened to today? Kalia couldn't wait but she just had to have patience and hope she will get her answers tomorrow.

##  Chapter 11 - Revelations

Morning came faster than Kalia expected. All the good for her because her anxiety was going through the roof now. Her Orc genes did her a great disservice in not helping her impatience. Ramio came to wake her up and showed her to the side of the stream where she could bathe and get ready to meet her supposed relative, Aya. The idea of having a human relative seemed incredulous even to start with.

Peaceful perfection - that was what she could describe the experience she had when she got into the stream to bathe. The stream had a revitalizing prowess that she couldn't describe. Even if Refmonk himself would be honest, he would admit that none of the potions they cooked in Mage Hollow came even a shade close to the miracles of the Pool of Many Waters. Had it not been for her curiosity and the voracious anxiety eating her up, she knew the Nymphs would have needed two yoked rhinos to get her out of these waters. The peace she found there was unmatched.

She readied herself in a dress the nymphs brought to her. She laughed when she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was not used to wearing dresses. Honestly, she didn't even remember the last time she was found in a dress. It had always been hides and amours that covered her nakedness. A dress for a change didn't look bad at all. She admitted she looked beautiful especially with her hair let down for once - awkwardly beautiful.

Uriel met her when she came out of her room.

"Busybees! You look good" Uriel complemented her.

"Thank you" Kalia managed to say with a coy smile. "What is busybees by the way?"

"Oh don't mind my goofy self. It is something I say when I am excited or shocked. It's a catchphrase of some sort" Uriel explained.

"Oh great, sounds good" Kalia said trying to be charitable with her compliment.

"You think so? Let's make one for you then" Uriel said enthusiastically.

"Nooo... No... No... That's not for me" Kalia objected.

"Oookay. If you say so" Uriel replied disappointed.

"Oh I met Leymar. She said to tell you that our friends are better now and they are at Aya's hut. We are to meet them there to have breakfast together" Uriel added

Kalia was famished but she was in no mood for breakfast. Her hunger required more than food. It required answers too; answers that only Aya could give her. Even Ramio with her loud mouth was not of much use to her when she coerced her to give her heads up regarding the latest revelations.

They got to Aya's hut and met Refmonk, Ridu and Sita all seated just as Uriel had foretold. The guys looked better too. The pool had done wonders on their wounds. Kalia believed in the prowess of the Nymphs even though she had not experienced it. She just figured that if a lot of people were praising them for that singular gift, then they had to be really good then. She was glad they didn't disappoint her.

Leyma told her the recovery of the guys was going to take a bit longer than normal since the Chimeras had infused a lot of toxic residue into them. Kalia was just lucky her hardened Orc skin was not so vulnerable to the penetrations and stings of the chimeras' tails.

The guys just gasped when they saw Kalia in a dress. None of them thought that she would ever be caught dead in one. They gaped more in awe and admiration than astonishment. They always knew Kalia wore her amour really well but they could attest to the fact that Kalia looked better in that dress than they had ever seen her.

Aya was glad to meet her descendants. She just couldn't stop smiling. The wrinkles that stretched across her face anytime she smiled told silent stories of how long this woman had lived. She looked very old but had the energy of a bullock. Obviously this place had done wonders for her too.

The guys just sat there completely oblivious of whatever had happened the day before. They had questions too. However their questions were for Kalia. They were now aware the pool had healed them but how did they get here?

Breakfast was served. Before eating, Aya asked to say a prayer. A prayer? To who? All of the members of the party except Uriel were not conversant with praying to any god. Uriel's training as an acolyte gave her some knowledge of some gods. The others thought they were gods themselves. After all, they had magic. They could create and alter their own realities.

They obliged however and listened to what Aya would say in her prayer.

"Spirits past, present in our midst. With expectant hearts we ask this" Aya began her prayer.

"That you bless what we have to eat; the greens and the meat. For the bond of blood that course through this hands that we hold. For these little mercies, we are thankful for, ancestors of old. Aya prayed."

"That didn't seem strange at all" Refmonk whispered to Ridu. Ridu just nodded in agreement.

Orc are known to have a voracious appetite but Kalia didn't eat much. She just fixed her gaze on Aya. Aya smiled anytime their eyes met.

"Eat up grandchild" Aya said. "I know you have questions. I will tell you whatever you need to know when we are done eating"

Kalia just nodded. Refmonk, Ridu and Sita just looked one another in the face puzzled. Uriel just smiled when she read the confusion written on the faces of the guys.

Breakfast was done after a short while. Kalia helped clear the table even though was not used behaving like a lady. Most of her time had been spent with the other scouts. Keeping the company of rigid and security-conscious male Orcs had its downside too. It robbed her of the vulnerabilities and sensibilities that she would have shown otherwise.

Aya cleared her throat and proceeded to address the visitors.

"Yes. I am your relative, your ancestor as Ramio said" Aya began.

The guys stared at one another and had this Ok-this-just-got-weird look on their faces. This time, Uriel laughed out loud. Kalia just kept a poker face.

"I know you want to ask. If I am really your ancestor, why am I human then and you Orcs, Dwarfs, Werewolves and Mages?" Aya added. "Let me explain further"

"Long ago, our whole village was destroyed by an old enemy. All of our family members were killed except my son, Muzizi and I. All the males in the clan were killed. It was a deliberate attempt to make us extinct. Muzizi was the only one who got away. We were lucky enough to escape. We kept running from the enemy till we got to this place. Having been judged as having a good heart and good intentions, we were allowed here into the Nymph Haven. We told our stories to the Nymphs and they decided to shelter and protect us from our foe. We lived here for a while but Muzizi got impatient. He wanted to go back into other lands and make a life for himself, marry a wife and raise a family. I had no life without my son. At least I thought so then, so I decided to leave with him. The Nymphs were gracious enough to teach my son magic itself so he could defend himself and protect me also. All was good for years. Muzizi married a wife from another village and had four male children. They were all born magicians but their human frailties still existed.

One day, they plotted to overthrow their father. They had magic but they wanted more of it. They wanted to topple their father as the most powerful magician. They developed a spell called Milk that could transfer the magic force from one magician to another but that would mean death since the magic force is the very life of a magician.

After plotting they put up a united front and overthrew their father. Muzizi was sorely disappointed and as he was dying and his magic leaving him, he cast his last spell Distort on them. The spell worked. It transformed them. But it wasn't so much the spell that transformed them than the high influx of magic into their system.

It is often said that power doesn't change you, it just makes you more of who you are, same for magic. All the magic they got turned them into other creatures. Duba the first son and most cunning of the sons turned into a Werewolf. He had always been the proverbial wolf in a sheep's clothing. Makou, the second son was the brash and violent one. More power made him brasher, more hot-headed and more violent. He became an Orc. Well for Uti the third son, he had the most expectation but it looks like he didn't get the amount of magic he felt he deserved. Let us just say he fell short. He was turned into a Dwarf. Daye the last son didn't like the idea of them toppling his father. He loved him but he dared not go against his father so he went with his brother against his own will. He was the spineless one. He became a Mage. An unassertive Mage. That's the reason why a Mage needs a strong willpower to survive. These four sons gave birth to other sons who gave birth to you. I guess that's all of it"

"So we are all related?" Sita asked in disbelief. The whole story made sense but he just couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that they were family.

"It would seem so" Ridu said. The revelation was huge for him to process all at once too.

"Yes you are" Aya said laughing. "You are all branches of the same tree".

"Except that Elf" I don't think we are related to her". Refmonk said in his signature cold tone.

"Refmonk... Be polite. That Elf saved your life" Kalia rebuked him

Refmonk? Did Kalia just call that boy Refmonk? Could this be the same Refmonk Shutti sent her down here to fetch? This obnoxious little brat was to be their saviour, Uriel thought. No way!

"You are Refmonk, the magician?" Uriel asked surprised.

"Yes, I am... any problem with that?" Refmonk replied sounding defensive.

"Oh... Nothing... Nothing at all" Uriel said unconvincingly.

"Anyway I am sorry for making that comment. Forgive me if I offended you" Refmonk apologized.

"It is okay friend" Uriel said with a half-smile.

"But I am really surprised you had no idea you were one family. You weren't told?" Aya asked.

"No grandmother. Wait... can I call you that? I would feel weird calling you ancestor" Sita said honestly. The others just laughed.

"Yes please you can call me that Sita" Aya agreed.

"Now that I think about it, I must say I don't think that is strange at all" Aya said.

"You don't think so?" Kalia asked.

"Yes daughter. You see, my story did not really end with the killing of Muzizi. They was heavy discord between the brothers. They blamed each other for what had happened to them. They fought among themselves. They decided to part ways before they end up killing themselves. I realised I couldn't go with any of them so as to prevent being labelled as bias so I came back here; to be with the Nymphs. This place and its miracles sustained me for as long as I can remember. I am very old as you may have realised now. But I have looked like this ever since I came here." Aya explained.

"You are very right grandmother... We had never liked each other till now. We just finished fighting a huge war" Ridu said.

"Hmm I guess your leaders decided not to tell you the truth because it was a shameful beginning and because you little ones never really asked the right questions as you should have done" Aya said. Refmonk only laughed out loud remembering all the trouble he went through for going against authority and asking for questions.

"I guess we didn't" Kalia said with a hint of guilt. Refmonk only looked at her and shook his head.

"But why were you fighting this time?" Aya asked.

Uriel looked at them in their faces attentively. Uriel was eager to hear what caused the war and how it ended.

"Kalia can tell you all about it. Her people started it" Refmonk said with a bit of anger in his voice.

"Refmonk. Her people? We are all one people. Don't forget that so soon" Aya reminded him.

Kalia proceeded to tell the whole story from how they found Kamba and the other scouts dead to when they realised they had been fighting a fruitless war.

"A common enemy you said?" Aya asked.

"Yes. Maybe you can tell us. Maybe it's just one of those unfortunate blasts from the past" Kalia said.

"Well... Muzizi and our people killed a lot of dragons in the past. The smartest one of them got away and has been hunting us since. He destroyed our village. That's unsettled us and we had to move to find shelter. Thankfully we found one here, for a while. When I left after Muzizi died to come back here, I learnt that he was here too. He was actually captured by the Nymphs and imprisoned. However, he managed to seduce one of the Nymphs who helped him escape. We refer to that as The Accident here. The escape from here was brutal. He managed to destroy a lot of the beautiful things here. It took a lot of work to make the Nymph Haven look like this again." Aya explained.

"Busybees. That's no joke" Uriel said.

"That explains the Nymph we found in the canyon with the Chimeras" Ridu said.

"Chimeras? They really mated. Wooah. This is bad" Aya said petrified.

"Yes. They were really strong but we killed them all" Refmonk said proudly.

"Including Chiti?" Aya asked.

"If you mean the rogue Nymph, then yes. She is dead too" Refmonk confirmed.

Aya was sad. She loved the Nymphs. They had been her family for a very long time. She cared deeply for them including Chiti though she betrayed them. She could understand her reason for doing what she did. Love makes you act stupid sometimes.

"Wait... What is the dragon called again?" Uriel asked suddenly.

"He has gone by many names but we used to call him "Xitari the incinerator". Aya said

"Incinerator?" Kalia asked.

"I guess incinerator because he burns things down?" Refmonk offered.

"Exactly. His breath of fire was the hottest and most powerful of all the dragons we faced in our time" Aya offered.

Breakfast ended and the visitors began planning their journey back home. Now that they know the identity of their enemy, the stood a better chance of defeating it. They must not waste any more time. They must tell that to their leaders fast.

The Nymphs thought it wise for the team to go and meet Rukida, the eldest of all the nymphs. She had the spirit of clairvoyance. She might be able to give a prophecy or two about the visiting party that will be beneficial to their quest.

Rukida's hut was in the deepest part of the Nymph Haven. She hardly went out. She was always indoors. She had secluded herself and lived with great guilt. She blamed herself for not seeing that Chiti was going to betray them. With all her gift of clairvoyance, she didn't even sense it. She couldn't prophesy it.

Leymar thought it was a fruitless venture to try to get Rukida to see the visitors but the resolute Ramio was always hopeful as ever. Aya also supported Ramio for the first time in a very long while. She knew that life will be much easier for her descendants left with a sure prophecy from Rukida.

Rukida was indoors as usual when Aya knocked. She opened immediately to the surprise of Leymar and Aya. Even Ramio was shocked too. Rukida invited them inside her hut and told them she had a prophecy for them about one of the visitors. A prophecy? They couldn't believe their ears. Who was the prophecy about? That seem to be the question on their minds.

"Who is it about Rukida? Which of these ones?" Ramio asked impatiently.

"This one" Rukida said pointing at Refmonk. "The Mage, Refmonk" She added.

She knew Refmonk? There had been no formal introductions and they had never met but she knew him? Refmonk was more alarmed than any of them. His anxiety levels were crazy.

"Tell me please. What does the prophecy say?" Refmonk asked. Rukida's worried look compounded his anxiety.

"It says that the future of the clans lies on your shoulders. You will bring about the End of days". Rukida said regretfully.

"End of days?" What is that? Refmonk asked.

"I can't explain the prophecies my dear. I see and I say. The meanings of my prophecies are not revealed to me. They come to pass before they are understood. That's the way with prophecies" Rukida explained.

"What? You can't help him? Why did you tell him then?" Kalia asked almost angry.

"I had to. Sometime ago, I wished I could have seen something like this about one of my own. I never got my wish. I guess you have been told what happened with Chiti. I have been living with that guilt for a very long time now. Immediately you entered this place, I got the prophecy about you. I had to tell you even if I couldn't explain it." Rukida explained.

"So you told us about the prophecy to absorb yourself of your guilt?" Ridu asked.

"No. I had to tell you because it was my duty. Prophecies are meant to guide us not to force us against our will" Rukida explained.

"This is of no...."

"Refmonk stop it" Aya cut in before Refmonk said something unpalatable. "I think it's time we left"

Aya apologized on their behalf and decided to usher the party to the thickets, the gates of the Nymph haven.

Refmonk was gutted. The mere thought of him hurting his clan was tearing him apart. Will the other members of the party even trust him again? What will his father think of him? What about Satir? Won't he be labelled as a traitor? Refmonk totally loved himself but today, he was didn't like himself. Today he wished he was someone else. Anybody. But not Refmonk Daye.

## Chapter 12 - Deer Refmonk

There was a long and palpable silence as they journeyed back home. The visiting party were gutted by the news. They just wore forlorn looks as they journeyed back home. The Nymphs had found a way to transport them since they lost their former means of transport when the chimeras attacked.

Obviously, Refmonk was disturbed but Uriel was more hurt by the recent turn of events. Her hopes of finally ridding Decapolis of their adversary were simply dashed. Her saviour was a ticking time bomb. She knew she was going to get caught` in the blast radius and she is going to get hurt real bad. Refmonk was on the path of self-destruction and there seems to be nothing she could do about it.

"We are finally going back huh?" Sita said finally breaking the silence.

"Yes. We have to get to Trade Central before nightfall. The chiefs will be waiting for us." Kalia replied.

"Had this been a different case, I would have asked us to stay a bit longer. Nymph haven is quite peaceful" Ridu chipped in. "But we cannot waste any more time now that we know the identity of our enemy.

"I agree" Kalia added.

Uriel did not say a word. Neither did Refmonk. The others noticed it but never said anything about it for fear that they might cause more harm than good. Even though they admit that sometimes the best and strongest warriors need advice, they felt that this was not the time to offer those words. They feared that their words may be in vain since worry may cloud his mind and that he may not see past his grief.

It just occurred to them that they had been preoccupied with solving their own problems they didn't even asked Uriel why she was still with them after they left Nymph haven. The guys just vaguely remembered that Kalia mention that Uriel had saved her life and by extension all of theirs.

"You said Uriel saved my life?" Refmonk asked Kalia. This was the first time he had spoken since they began the journey.

"Yes I did" Uriel answered. "I had just come out from the portal that Shutti shoved me into and I chanced upon you and the others - hurt, barely moving and unconscious. Luckily I had one vial of a fast heal potion Shutti made. I couldn't prepare for this journey under the circumstances of my departure. I healed Kalia with it and together we carried you guys to seek help from the Nymphs" Uriel explained. "I was quite shocked you guys did not die before we got to Nymph Haven but I later came to understand that it's all that magic in you that kept you alive. You are aware of what happened when we got to Mage Haven and the Pool of Many Waters so it is needless to mention that" Uriel explained.

Refmonk stopped the giant bee he was riding. All the other stopped too to hear what he had to say. "Why did you save me? Why didn't you just let me die?" Refmonk asked with tears in his eyes.

"Busybees... How do you expect me to watch you die? Where am from, we preserve lives not extinguish or watch idly as they perish" Uriel replied.

"Death would have been of great profit now. You don't understand the way I feel now knowing that I could fulfil the prophecy any time from now" Refmonk confessed bitterly.

"Refmonk, it is all going to be okay" Kalia reminded him.

"It's easier for you to say since you are not the one going to cause the End of Days. You have no idea how I am feeling now" Refmonk shot back quite angry.

"True. I have no idea how you feel. I can only imagine. But I have had my own fears and insecurities too. I have lived with them for almost my whole life" Kalia confessed. "You think you are the only victim of fate? You think I have an easy life?"

"Ok this just got weird" SIta chipped in.

"Guys I think we should start moving on. We may be late if we keep arguing about whose life sucks the more. Now, fate has laid this albatross on your neck Refmonk but that same fate bundled all of us from different backgrounds together. Fate put us here to help carry your yoke. We are here to help" Uriel assured.

"Well, that was really wise" Ridu replied. All the others smiled. Refmonk did too.

"Uriel, its Ref. That's what my family call me" Refmonk said with a smile.

"Family huh? I like the sound of that" Uriel replied with a smile.

The party decided to move their bees to their destination. None of them had ever flown a bee. They had no other transportation option after they had lost their former means of transportation when the Chimeras attacked. It was just pure creativity and great improvisation that informed their new means of transport. After realizing that they would take more time by making the journey on foot, the visitors suggested they get animals to ride. However the Nymphs did not have any domestic animals running around their haven except insects who pollinated their flowers.

They caught about seven bees in all. Refmonk with the help of the Nymphs casted Enlarge on the bees and made they gigantic enough to be saddled. They fed them food and water from the revitalizing Pool of Many Waters to sustain them from strain and the impact of the travel to Clover Circle. Pure genius. It's amazing what two or more minds can do when they work in complete synergy.

Ridu the Dwarf had always admired the Orcs for their brave demeanour and their no nonsense approach to things. Thus he found Kalia's confession to be quite strange. He wanted more information but he couldn't get that if he did not reveal more about himself to the others too. Sometimes to get to understand how vulnerable someone is, it's best to approach them from a vulnerable place too since people trust only what they can identify with.

"You are not alone in your fears Refmonk and Kalia. My father, Ormey, is very ill. He may die soon if he is not healed by a miraculous potion. That was the main reason why we join the Orcs in alliance to fight you Refmonk. We hoped we may find one of your potions that may heal him. We could have simply asked you but that would have made us appeared weak. A clan without a strong chieftain is just like weak wall or gate begging a battering ram not to crush into it. Its destruction is inevitable"

"Wow" Sita said. "Apparently, the revelations did not end in nymph haven. The best was actually saved for the last". The others just half-smiled at his comment.

"Yes I think there is a part of everyone here that none of us didn't know. At least we know Ref's greatest fear now. Mine is quite different" Ridu continued. "Father always wanted me to ascend the throne long after he is gone and my children and then children's' children long after I am gone too. That is the Uti way but father may die any moment from now on if we do not find a cure for his strange ailment. He may not look it but he is slowly dying from the inside. Now you guys may not notice but I am very young. I am just fourteen. Yes. Just fourteen. Dwarfs look older than what our real ages may say. If father dies, I would be deemed too young to ascend the throne. My clan will be thrown into a state of chaos which may develop in a civil war all in a bid to challenge for my throne. I just may not be able to make my father's dream come true".

The guys felt bad for Ridu. They all wished they could help him. The confession session they were having on their way back home was really helping them bond very well. Cooperation works very well when people realize that they have common struggles and strive to better their lot with a common and united front. Sometimes a touchy-feely session is the grease you need to get a group of creatures from different backgrounds working like the team you want them to be. Sita decided to pour his heart out the next.

"Ok... So you may not have known but I was orphaned at a very tender age. Until the war, I was more of an outcast. Wolves like us had always had packs who looked out for one another. Sadly, I never fitted in any of them. Maybe it was because I had been on my own for too long. Adjusting to caring and being cared for sort of freaked me out. I was a loner and survived on my own by my own streets smarts. I was not even deemed for war since I was never in a pack. Trust is very important to Werewolf warriors. They need to be convicted that you can watch their backs and give your life to save at least one of them on the battlefield. Sadly, no one could testify of how trustworthy I was. That was the reason why I was left behind when the wolf warriors went to the Mage Hollow to reinforce their troops and the Werewolf Mountain was attacked. My fear is that, I gained trust when my heroics saved all those wolves when the Orc-Dwarf troops attacked. That trust has been expressed by the honour of being chosen to go on this mission with you. So much is demanded from me now but I think I may fall short of the expectations. In spite of all my fears, I am glad I met you guys. Well I can say I am glad I have found my own pack now \- you guys"

"We have more in common SIta" Kalia spoke. We were all called into positions of responsibility because fate played a cruel trick on us. You were orphaned from a tender age, I on the other hand was born out of wed-lock, the biggest curse that could be pronounced on a child Orc. You see, the Orc Cove is a hypocritical place. Not everything you hear about us is exactly the truth. The bravery, the braggadocio, everything... everything is almost made up. I mean Orcs just keep up appearances because the system demands that of you. Since I was born out of wedlock, I did not have many friends. My company was shunned by the other girl Orcs. So I got into hunting to occupy myself and kill boredom. I realized that I got so good at it. My skills became recognized and I got into the famed Orc scouts. Being a female, I worked twice as hard as any male out there and that ensured I became the second in command of the scouts. It was fine being second in command, you only take shadow and not the main responsibility for any mishap. When our leader, Kamba died, I automatically became leader of the Orcs. Since then, my insecurities and self-doubt had never been stronger. I had always known Kamba's shoes were too big to fill. Maybe I was not up to the task. I almost died on one of such missions from Mage Hollow but almost meant that whatever I have to accomplish, I haven't done so death had to wait. Maybe I will not be lucky next time."

"Do you see the pattern here, fate chose us from obscure backgrounds and brought us to the forefront of saving our clans? Whatever be the case Ref, we will always watch have your back. Take this from a wolf who sees you now as part of his pack" Sita added.

"Well I think I might have a solution to Ridu's problem. I... I might have just borrowed some water from the pool. Just a little but enough to fill this vial" Uriel said raising the vial for them all to see. "If we give this to chief Ormey, maybe he may be healed. Water from that pool is miraculous right?"

The others just forgot the fact that Uriel just publicly admitted that she stole from the Nymphs. Amnesia was just a small price to pay for what good the act will do. Right now, she was a saviour. She was going to save Chief Ormey and prevent what could have been a civil war among the Utis. Not that Kalia would have cared anyway, stealing was promoted in her home, the Orc Cove after all.

The journey to Trade Central progressed faster than they anticipated. Those bees became very fast after a while. Somehow it was as if the bees were animated by the peace of mind all that sentimental sharing of information about their backgrounds brought the party. Finally Trade Central just laid a few meters from reach.

Immediately they got to Trade Central, Kalia felt strange. Something was not right. She knew this aura. It was all too familiar. Hello déjà vu.

"Guys, something is wrong. I feel Xitari, the incinerator is here" Kalia said.

"Aiiiiiiiiiiii..." Ridu shrieked. "The chiefs"

The party rushed into Trace Central to find all the chiefs and elders of their clan kneeling before a man. They couldn't see his face because he had his back turned to them but they knew he was very frightening. The leaders of all the clan looked like they have met fear itself. They could tell their end was near. All of them except Muthar. He just wore a frown. He was too proud to admit that he was going to die.

"Father" Refmonk yelled when he spotted his dad kneeling too. Apparently he had gone back to his former position as elder of the Mage clan after having been accepted. Sadly his dad heard him but couldn't move any part of his body in response except the muscles in his face. He managed a sad smile.

Xitari, the man who was on the verge of killing the chiefs heard him too. He turned to face Refmonk and the other guys.

"Hello Refmonk, I have been waiting for you. Together, you and I are going to do great things". Xitari said and followed that with an eerie laughter that chilled their spine.

"You know who I am? Refmonk as surprised.

"Well I can't say I am friends with everyone here because I totally hate your kind but you my good friend and I go way back. Some months back" Xitari explained.

"Some months back?" Refmonk still didn't quite understand.

The other guys couldn't take it anymore. The decided to attack. Ridu drew an arrow from his quiver and aimed it at Xitari. Sita transformed into his Werewolf self. They knew how this was going to end. Some people or someone was going to die. They just didn't want it to be them or any of their kind. Better Xitari than any of them.

"Hey you, cool trick" Xitari said pointing at Sita. "I have a similar trick too. Want to see it? I think that will refresh Refmonk's mind".

Xitari transformed into a deer. The now shocked Refmonk could not say a word. His mouth just opened by default to form a gasp. He remembered now. This was the same deer he used his mind cell on in the Spirit Forest. He couldn't forget the diamond shaped mark on the cheek of that deer. Xitari had it too when he transformed into that deer. He had formed a mental link with Xitari? Oh no!!! He knew he had to end this fast before it got nasty. The others felt the same way too. Ridu shot his arrow and it tore through Xitari like a knife through wool. The wound started closing up before their very eyes. Apparently Xitari could self-heal too.

He sensed they that these kids were not here to play and thus before they could mount up any further attacks, he casted a spell to paralyze them too just like he had done with the chiefs. He made them kneel too but left only Refmonk standing. He cast the Mind Cell on Refmonk and he became his puppet. Apparently when Refmonk casted the Mind Cell spell on Xitari sometime ago, he created a Mind Bridge between himself and Xitari. Xitari had been lurking in his subconscious mind ever since. He would have seen, heard and felt whatever Refmonk felt but he was not his strongest when the spell was cast on him so the bridge was quite weak. Now that he was at his best, he intended to make optimum use of that bridge. Refmonk had been beaten at his own game.

Refmonk stretched forth his hand and turquoise fire balls formed around his hands. He blasted them on the Chiefs and elders incessantly, one by one till they all died. All except Saluu, his father.

Whilst Refmonk was killing the chiefs, Xitari decided to take his leave. His work there was done. His puppet Refmonk will kill all of the chiefs and elders then kill his own friends in addition. After all, with the leaders gone, clans will fall into chaos and then they would not be so hard to destroy. Entropy has a way of destroying every vessel it falls into. As for Refmonk, he will be so broken he won't dare try to avenge those deaths since they came by his own hand. Xitari planned to keep Refmonk alive for some time to do his dirty work till he dispose of him when he wasn't needed anymore.

For now, he had more important things to do. He needed to bring Chiti and his Chimera spawns to populate these new lands they were going to possess. Xitari transformed back into his original self, a huge green dragon and flew away.

Refmonk continued his killing till he got to his dad. The other members of the party were still paralyzed. He was about to hit his father but he hesitated. His father had love in his eyes. So much love and he knew that was for him. Even at the point of knowing he was going to die by his own son's hand, Saluu still loved him. Refmonk couldn't do it. But the mind cell was too powerful and controlling that if he did not find a way to break it, he will end up killing his own father. He had done more harm as it was already. Then he remembered how his dad neglected him when his mother died. Indecision began to give way to Anger. Extreme anger bordering on hatred for his dad consumed him. Refmonk hit his father with a fireball punch on his shoulder and fuelled his reek with so much rage, his greenish reek was tainted with dark reddish colour till he burnt out. His magic had left him for a while. It was all over. Saluu was severely injured but he wasn't dead and that was good news of some sort. Refmonk's love for his father and Saluu's love for his son had saved them both and all the members of the party.

Well, the notion was true after all. True love breaks all jinxes but the harm had already been done. He had actually fulfilled the prophecy. He did it. Refmonk had killed all the chiefs and the elders and wounded his own dad in the process. With the chiefs dead, things will surely get out of hand. The End of days had just began and the five members of the party knew nothing was ever going to be the same.

## Chapter 13- Despair, Hope, Epiphany

Refmonk just stood there, confused and feeling very guilty for what he had done. Even though he didn't mean to do it, this cyanide-tainted guilt was just tearing him apart. He knew what he was doing but he just could not take control of himself when he was being controlled by Xitari. That was how cruel Xitari's version of his mind cell was. It was total despair. It was like having an open surgery done on you without anaesthesia; you are the fully conscious and bear the full brunt of the pain but you simply cannot do anything against shutting it out.

He quickly rushed to his father to check on him. He stood by his side and Saluu's state brought tears to his eyes. He was genuinely remorseful but his dad just smiled. Saluu was proud of his son. He was hurting badly but he was glad his son dug deep to break the hold Xitari had on him.

"Father... I... I... I am so... so sorry for what I have done to you" Refmonk confessed with his sobs impeding his speech.

"No son. Don't... Don't be. I am on the contrary... Very proud of you... I am glad that you did not become a slave to that filthy dragon. No... No son of mine will...will be slave to another creature" Saluu said struggling to talk through all the pain he was feeling in his arm.

Refmonk tried carrying him to the Mage Hollow to seek help but he could not lift Saluu up without trying to hurt his hand further. He tried helping his frozen friends but to no avail. He had no spell to break their paralysis. Xitari's spells had depth and were very potent. Refmonk was very powerful but he was playing in a very advanced league as far as Xitari was concerned. He was utterly helpless. His eyes were all glassy and for once in his life he felt very humbled.

Thankfully, the spell on the other members of the party wore off after a while and they hurriedly came to help.

They got Refmonk and his father on one of the gigantic bees they brought to Trade central and sped off to Mage Hollow to seek help. Ridu carried his dead father and Chief, Ormey, to the Dwarf province to face the rest of his people. Kalia and Sita carried their respective chiefs and rode off to their respective clan homes. Uriel carried Fey on her bee and left for Mage Hollow with Refmonk.

Ridu arrived at his clan home. There were no elders he had to report to. No leadership council. His worse fear had come true. He was so full of hope knowing that his father was going to be healed after all since Uriel had water from the Nymph pool. His clan was going to fall into chaos now and there was no stopping it. Great leadership kept societies together, now with the leadership council gone, he had to step up to be the leader he knew his people needed or just watch the clan plunge into anarchy.

An ad hoc leadership council was formed by the all the other clans to agree on the next line of action to take and how the chiefs and elders were going to be buried. It was agreed that all the chiefs be given a pomp mass burial so as to prove to all the clan members that they are united and stand as one family. This news did not excite the Orcs because they would have wanted Muthar to join the other illustrious chiefs of the Cove, buried in Tikas Tomb, their royal graveyard but they accepted the agreement to brighten the flame of unity that has been lit.

Nonetheless the Orcs added another condition. They stipulated that the mass burial will not take place until they avenge their chieftain Muthar for they believe that Muthar will still hold a grudge in the spirit world and will not find rest till he was avenge. The other clans saw the wisdom in that and decided to uphold that stipulation. The Mages cooked up a potion to embalm the corpses of the Chiefs so as to preserve them till when the time comes for them to be buried. The elders on the other hand were to be buried immediately.

The team who went to the Nymph Haven to seek solutions all went to the Dwarf Province to help restore order and help secure the throne of their now bosom friend, Ridu. All members of the team went with the exception of Refmonk who could not leave Saluu's side. The guilt was eating him up and he just was not in the right frame of mind to go on another mission. The rest of the team were able to quash an uprising which had been started by a few greedy people who wanted the throne for their own parochial interest.

The Dwarf's clan was the richest of all the clans after all and whoever sat on that throne controlled all the rich resources included the famed Divulga Mines. The best way to find or hear about insurrection or any piece of news in Dwarf province was the drinking taverns. It was the same in almost any other place in the Clover Circle. Drunken Dwarfs indeed told no tales. Spies were placed in these places and very soon someone had news that he would want to exchange for three gourds of spirit wine.

The drunkard explained how a group of Dwarfs who were suspended from the mines from stealing felt that this would be the perfect time after all to exact their revenge. They believed they had been treated unfairly and thus will seize the throne and kill Ridu who was the rightful heir. This will be their most significant payday ever since they will become very rich when they controlled the Dwarf Province and all the wealth that was in it.

The drunkard's information proved to be very reliable and the conspirators in question were rounded up. They were found with weapons and makeshift maps of the Dwarf Palace. This further confirmed the drunkard's assertion since maps and blueprints of the Dwarf Palace were not easy to come by. They would not be in the possession of any mere Dwarf except one who was be planning on using it, in this case for evil. The perpetrators were imprisoned and calm returned to the Dwarf province. Ormey's dream of having his son succeed him did not die after all. Ridu was to be made chief right after Xitari was defeated and calm was restored back to the whole of Clover Circle.

The elders were buried in one day during which final rites were prepared for them at their clan graveyards concurrently. Vesta was buried in Tikas Tomb together. He now laid with the Chiefs of old, something which would never have been deemed a possibility had Xitari not obliterated them all. It was a great honour for any other Orc aside a chieftain to be buried in the royal graveyards.

The ad hoc leadership council met to find ways to defeat Xitari. They had guessed from the account of the Kalia and her party that Xitari had gone to bring Chiti and his spawns to the clover Cove to rule it now that he presumed all or most of them to be dead. They knew the party had killed Chiti and that would enrage Xitari. They had to find a solution fast or the end up like the other members of the various leadership councils of old; lifeless and covered in the cold earth.

The new council tasked the Mages to find a potion strong enough to defeat dark magic or strong enough to at least contain it. The other clans were to also contribute in other capacities; the Dwarfs were to make a weapon that will work well with the potion and the two strongest clans were to help in any manual work that will make the work of the two other clans easy. They were to help in the smelting of the ores and pounding the metals for the making of the weapons. Time was of the essence and all hands were meant to be on deck.

The party met sometimes to think about what they could do too since Uriel kept telling them that it was their destiny to stop Xitari and redeem Clover Circle from imminent destruction. They had all met Xitari individually or together as a group. First of all Refmonk had connected with him through his Mind Cell, Kalia faced him together with her fellow scouts but she was the only one who survived. They battled his spawns and his would have been queen, Chiti and were even the first to learn about him. Those were too many coincidences to overlook. Whether they accepted it or not, their fates were tied to that of Xitari and the earlier they accepted it and found ways to end him, the better for them all.

Refmonk however, never honoured any of such meetings. He had secluded himself and was still blaming himself for the deaths of all the Chiefs and elders.

In one of such meetings, Kalia told the team of an observation she was able to make. She informed the party that during the attack on her and the other scouts by Xitari, she realized that Xitari could only suck the life out of you if you were genuinely frightened of him. Xitari could sense their fear. That only emboldened him and made him more audacious. Truth is you cannot defeat something you are afraid of fighting or losing to. You are powerless over anything that you fear.

"I cannot stress how important it is for us to face every fear of Xitari we may harbour in us any longer. We don't need to fear him" Kalia added.

"But how can you face Xitari and not be sincerely scared?" Sita asked bewildered.

"That dragon is mean... Very scary, witty and dangerous" Uriel admitted.

"But that is not enough to be sacred. We now are not representing ourselves but the aspirations of our whole clans. This is bigger than us. We dare not reduce it to ourselves. If we cherish our lives, we will be afraid to lose it and that would mean losing to Xitari in the end. He will prey on our fears. He is that opportunistic" Uriel added. "I made the journey here to find Refmonk because Shutti believed that he was key to defeating the evil who also plagues my kingdom. If I or Refmonk dies, then my homeland is done for. We cannot run from this, it is our fight. We have a lot riding on this"

"Uriel and Kalia are right. If I die in this battle, Dwarf Province will fall into Chaos but am not afraid to die. I don't mind dying for the cause of Clover Circle".

"Same here" Sita added having renewed his confidence.

"I am glad we are all in on this" Kalia said.

"Guys, I think I have to bring this to your notice" Ridu began.

"Let's hear it Ridu" Uriel urged him on.

"So maybe, Xitari may not be invincible as we are making him out to be after all" Ridu continued. "You may not have realised it but my arrow was able to draw blood out of him during our last encounter. He healed quickly after though but the fact that I drew blood means he can be hurt and maybe ultimately killed"

"This is a wonderful update" Kalia tried saying with joy but she couldn't since all she could think about was how she could not be of help to the others who were in her team when they were attacked by Xitari. If only she had known then what she knew now.

"Yes it is. Now we just have to find a way of making sure that wound is a fatal one. We may only get one chance with Xitari and we have to make it count" Uriel added.

"One shot to kill and end all of this" Ridu added.

A messenger from the ad hoc council interrupted their thoughts and made it known to them that they were needed at Trade Central.

The party left immediately with the messenger and got to Trade Central as fast as they could. Apparently, the council had also recognized the unique skill set of the party and felt they should make the party lead the onslaught against Xitari. The party had faced this villain and lived too many times thus if anyone stood a chance against Xitari, it had to be them. There was a reason why they were so hard to be killed.

The council told the party about the weapon that the Dwarfs had been able to make. It was an arrow head that flew at a faster speed due to its design and cut through the hardest of materials due to its composition. Xitari was strongest in his dragon form since it was his original nature and if by a stroke of very hard luck, he decides to shapeshift when they finally face him, they knew this arrow head, Tinga's Tail, was going to do enough damage.

They were also dealt with bad news. The council told them of how the Mages had not been able to formulate the potion that was strong enough to defeat Xitari's dark magic. The death of Fey had been taken a wicked toll on them and robbed them of their will power and hope. A Mage without will power was just as useless as a knife which just cannot cut.

They party realised how much they needed Refmonk back into their fold. They missed him but they knew if anyone could be creative enough to find the formula to such a potion, it would be him. The party thanked the council for the opportunity and decided to make their way to Mage Hollow to get their old friend back.

## Chapter 14- Choices

Satir was at his wits end. He loved his brother but his patience was just running thin. Refmonk just won't listen to him. It was as he did in the past but this time, it hurt more than it had ever done. Refmonk had lost the glow in his eyes, his natural love for life, his knack for always creating stuffs and his penchant for causing trouble. Satir hated the latter of Refmonk's talents of causing trouble but he knew he would give anything to have his old, fun but troublesome brother back.

Refmonk had been indoors all this time after the incident with Xitari. He hardly saw anyone and hardly ate. He didn't find his life interesting anymore. All he could focus on was his guilt and his plans of defeating Xitari to redeem himself. Not even the fast recovery of Saluu and all his incessant advice to him made him feel better. He was threading on a dangerous ground and something needed to be done very fast.

Saluu didn't really have so much time once again for his son as he had been made the leader of the Mages and a lot more demanded his time. That notwithstanding, he made an effort, a deliberate and strong effort to bring back the real Ref from this piece of "lifeless" flesh sitting indoors and pretending to be his son but all to no avail.

Satir had also had enough of this and decided to give Refmonk a piece of his mind today. The boy needed to hear some home truths and he felt if their dad was being reluctant in giving it to him straight, he was just going to do all of them a huge favour and serve the dish of reality to his younger brother very cold. That boy needed a wakeup call and he was ready to give him one.

"Ref... How long are you going to continue like this" Satir stormed into his little brother's hut and tried getting his brother off his bed by pulling on one of his arms. Apparently, Refmonk didn't want to be dragged out of the doldrums of self-pity he was wallowing in. He blamed not just himself now for what has happened. He but blamed them all too; Satir, his father and the whole Mage council. Why weren't they sterner on him when he started visiting the Orc Cove? Why didn't they try harder by finding a way to stop his unbridled creativity? That wouldn't have made him powerful as he was now and Xitari would not have had a loose cannon to use to fire at the heart of Circle. What is sickening is that they wanted him to go back to his old self. Were they feigning ignorance of all that has happened or they just had all of a sudden developed selective amnesia? They know he is a ticking time bomb as long as the prophecy still hang over his head and Xitari is not dead. Maybe the Circle was holding onto a glimmer of hope because certainly the End of days had not happened yet, but he had already lost hope because this was practically the end of his days. He didn't need a pep talk now. He needed a plan to beat Xitari and that plan should come in very fast.

"Reffff" Satir called back at him and Refmonk just whispered a cold and lazy "leave me alone". He was actually very weak from starving himself these past few days. He was not used to that because he had a huge appetite. He always got hungry from putting too much strain on his magic force every time.

His current lack of appetite for food had shocked Satir who made food in the house. Refmonk didn't do any chores at home but he ate the most out of their small family. It was not as if doing chores at home was hard. No it actually wasn't. They were Mages and they had magic. Magic just made everything easy. Satir just hoped that Refmonk will at least join him in doing chores from time to time. It would not have reduced any strain on him significantly but it would have improved the relationship between him and his younger brother, Refmonk. They did not have the best brotherly relationship and didn't do much together. They only got closer was when he had to train him. It was not like he needed training and thus he was not cooperative. Satir knew he should have stopped a long time ago since almost all of their trainings ended with Refmonk finding ways to show him he had more natural and acquired magic ability than he Satir, did.

"Tap Tap" a knock on their hut was heard before Satir could give a reply to Refmonk's cold and piercing "leave me alone" line.

Refmonk just shook his head. He knew it there was a pretty huge chance that the knock on the door could be from Saluu, his father. It's not like Saluu needed to knock before entering his son's room but he did that every time anyway. He wanted to give Refmonk the space he felt he deserved. Refmonk knew he was not ready for a double barrage of washed up motivation that would not have any effect on him at all. His insulation against their pep talks was quite thick and he did not want it wearing off anytime soon.

He heaved a sigh of relief when Satir came through into his hut alone but his face fell three seconds later when he realise all the members of his party had just followed on into his room.

"Here he is. I pray you guys are able to get some sense into his thick head. We have tried our hardest best and frankly we are almost at a point of giving up" Satir complained bitterly as turned to leave the hut.

"Hello guys" Refmonk called out trying to look cheerful but failed woefully.

"You have been avoiding us and we want to know why" Kalia just went straight to the point without mincing words.

"Yes, you have Ref". Ridu added following in Kalia's lead. "You did not honour any of the invitations we sent you. Why is that Ref?"

Refmonk sensed that he was getting attacked. Maybe it was his guilt that was gnawing at him but he knew he has to get a favourable response or they will start giving him a pep talk too.

"I have been busy... With plans to end Xitari" Refmonk said. That would have been an okay thing to say but he knew he spent more time thinking of his own misfortune than trying to find a way to end Xitari.

"Busybees... You don't have to lie to us Ref" Uriel said to him. Maybe you did not know this but I have been talking to your father about you and his reports about you were very discouraging. "Look, we are friends, even family and we are supposed to bear our burdens together. The weight will be lighter that way. We can't handle our problems alone if we honestly are at our wits end but refuse to share them with people who sincerely care about us"

Refmonk's face fell again. He should have felt stupid since Uriel just tore through his defence like Ridu's arrow goes through his opponents but he did not feel stupid. He just felt ashamed.

"We are sorry for making you feel this way" Sita apologized when he realised that they have worsened Refmonk's condition.

"You guys may think you have an idea about what we are going through but honestly you don't. You really don't." Refmonk finally said.

"Exactly our point also... How can we know if you don't tell us anything?" Sita explained.

Refmonk broke down in tears and explained all that he was going through to the team and they understood him better now. They were not having an easy life but they could all attest to it that none of them ever wanted to be in Refmonk's shoes. The only exception would have been that they would have handled matters differently from the way he was doing now. "Mistakes are not always the problems because everyone makes them. It was our attitude towards our mistakes that creates problems or solutions for us" Ridu thought to himself. Clearly, Refmonk was just compounding his problems.

"Can I share a story with you guys?" Uriel asked after a long pause. "Maybe this will help us all"

"By all means Uriel, Sita Okayed her request.

"I hope I have mentioned Shutti" She began her tale. "Shutti was an acolyte to Blembi, the least of the priests in Decapolis. Now the priest have a council just like the ones you had in your individual clans called the Order of the Priests. Blembi, took in Shutti after no one would accept him. He could not recite the Book of Graces. It was a book that was believed to have been handwritten by the gods themselves and passed down from ancestor to ancestor. The Order of the Priests was formed to maintain the moral fabric of the City of Priests since it was the shining light in the whole of Decapolis. It was meant to be a city of religious people and moral decadence was not allowed to gain roots. The priests stumped it out with an iron fist and strictly applied to the latter all the rules and punishments stated in the Book of Graces"

"Wow... Your place sounds intense. Refmonk chipped in. "I would have been punished a lot of times if I were in your city"

"Yes you would have been" Satir replied excitedly from the mouth of the huts. He did not leave after all. He was waiting to see if the team will get through to his brother. He was happy whatever they were saying to him was helping him.

"Oh boy... You didn't leave? Refmonk asked.

"I couldn't leave my brother in a depressing mood. I care about you that much Ref" Satir smiled and so did everyone in the hut.

"Can you go back to the story and tell us what happened to Shutti. I have a feeling something bad happened to him in the story" Kalia asked.

"Orcs are never hopeful" Satir teased. The smiles turned into laughter. Even Kalia laughed too. Suddenly, the whole atmosphere in the room got better than it had ever been in a long time.

"Back to the story" Uriel finally managed to say after their laughter had died down. "If anyone wanted to dedicate themselves to the service of the Order, they first had to be an acolyte – Just as I am. It was a requirement for an acolyte to be a virgin, young and passionate about being an acolyte, and should be able to recite the first ten chapters of the Book of Graces verbatim. Shutti was exceptional in all the wrong ways. He did not want to be an acolyte and thus was not very passionate about it. He could not recite even a page of the Book. He just wasn't order-acolyte material, at least just not yet. Blembi had been on one of his outings and chanced on a young boy trying to steal sour apples from a stall so that he could give it to a young emaciated little girl who was standing beside her. If he had been caught by anyone else except Blembi, he would have been sanctioned by having scars placed in his palms. That was the punishment stipulated by the Book. That way, everyone will know you are a thief and you will be so ashamed you might never want to steal again in your life. Blembi would however not this little boy go through that torture. He knew the boy was aware of the punishment for stealing or at least trying it. However, if he was willing to do it to help his little hungry friend, then the boy must certainly have compassion. So Blembi adopted him and decided to train him. A priest with real compassion and not blind zeal would do so well in establishing the changes he so desperately needed to see in the Order.

The other priests didn't think Shutti was a good fit but Blembi cared less. He defended Shutti through the heavy opposition he faced during his days as an acolyte. But something remarkable happened that changed a lot and brought the dreams of Blembi into reality"

"What... what happened? Continue the story" Kalia shouted out of anxiety. Clearly, Orcs had not much patience too.

"Shutti gained powers. Magical powers; something that has never happened to any priest or acolyte before and this was cause for great concern. He compounded the problems for himself when he decided that he did not believe in the gods anymore. This blasphemy worsen his stand with the Order. The priests never allowed him leave the temple for fear he may use his new found magic for evil since power corrupts. Faith was central to the makeup of every person in the City of Priests. People who had no faith in a power higher than themselves could be corrupted easily since they had no code of morality set by a supreme power they had to obey. At least the older priests thought so. They felt Shutti was volatile and could be easily corrupted and even concocted falsehoods and prophecies about him. But the more Shutti's power developed the kinder he became. Maybe he understood the other priests. They were just not as blessed as he was and instead of bullying them with his powers, he became more compassionate. He healed the sick; something the priest have never been able to do. He could have chosen to be a god by himself but he didn't. Long story short, he became head of the Order and changed how strict those rules were. Cases were judged based on form and insight not merely evidence alone. Everyone in the City of Priests was happy. Positive change was here until Sakai arrived but that is a story for another day"

"The import of this story is to tell us that it doesn't matter what has been said about us, what matters is what we do about us" Uriel continued. "Shutti faced as lot of opposition because he was different. People, including the priests themselves who should have been a fatherly figure to Him hated him because they felt the gods had blessed him with powers even zealots like they didn't have. Shutti could have turned against the Order and visited vengeance on them but he did not. He made a choice to use his powers for good. We have options every time and we are always faced with decisions to make. There is a thin line between good and bad and it takes as much strength to cross to one end as it does to come back from the other end. At the end of the day, I have come to believe that there are no good or bad people. There are only choices we make. For they in entirety determine the kind of people we become"

"That was insightful, elf" Satir complemented.

"It's Uriel. Call me Uriel. You are...?" Uriel asked after knowing he didn't know his name after all.

"Satir... Call me Satir" He replied.

"I feel we went through all of this because of the destinies we carry. We were meant to do extraordinary things" Sita admitted.

"Yes I believe so too. My dad and Chief used to always tell me that "it is only the ripe fruits that gets pelted with stones. It is people with great destinies that face the biggest of challenges" Ridu recounted. "It makes more sense after all that has happened with us"

"So you heard her Ref... Choices! What will you choose now? Will you join us to go and make that murderer pay for his crimes or you will sit here, mope and die in your sorrow?" Kalia asked Ref in a very serious tone.

"I have to defeat Xitari... You guys need to help. I can't do this on my own because I don't even have any plan potent enough to see that happen" Refmonk confessed.

Kalia told Refmonk about how the ad hoc council had chosen them to lead the charge against Xitari and all the revelations they have had about him and his potential weakness.

"I have an idea now. In my days of research, I flirted with a little alchemy. I know how to make a potent weapon from all that we have" Refmonk said with his normal air of confidence reappearing.

"Busybees... That is awesome news" Uriel said excitedly.

"Alchemy huh? We actually believed you can figure this whole weapon thing out. I am glad we were right" Sita added.

"Yes it awesome. Now let's get out there and make that weapon now. Refmonk said impatiently.

The team got out into the practice area and began making the weapon using Refmonk's ways. After a while of hard day's work, the weapon, Ender was finally made using a combination of Tinga's Tail, water from the Pool of Many Waters which Uriel had collected, Sap from the mangrove trees near Trade Central and some random potions Refmonk added to serve as a binding agent.

The day was fast spent. They will all sleep at Mage Hollow and then go on their way to find and kill that filthy dragon tomorrow. That was the plan but they all knew none of them was going to sleep a wink. It was going to be a long night.

##  Chapter 15 – It Ends Here

Morning came faster than they all anticipated just as they expected they could not sleep. Everyone had a lot on their minds especially Satir. Satir contemplated on joining the team not because he wanted to face Xitari, but because he wanted to protect his younger brother. They weren't the best of siblings but he loved him and knew he had a huge target on his back so far as they were going to face Xitari. Xitari was prepared to annihilate them all and torture Ref and he was not going to allow that to happen. Refmonk will object to his joining the party but he was going to join them anyway.

"Kalia, let's go" Ridu called out from the hut that he had been sharing with Sita and Satir. Refmonk shared his hut with his father and the ladies slept in the Saluu's hut. Saluu was pleased to be with his son again. He was happy to see that his son was back to nearly his old self and had his unrelenting resolve back. That made him happier than he had ever been in a long while.

The team stepped out of their huts and after having breakfast made by Satir but with the help of the ladies this time. They all stepped out with their knapsacks on their back with the journey to the Old Lands in front of them and with hope in their eyes.

"You are not coming with us. Are you? Refmonk asked his elder brother when he saw he all prepped to go too.

"Yes, are you going with them?" Saluu asked too. He was surprised that Satir had decided to go with them. In his view, the brothers never saw eye to eye but he quickly renewed his stance when he remembered their exploits together in the Clover Wars. Moreover he had put Satir in charge of training his younger brother and it was not like they killed themselves in the process. They may not like each other, but they will get together and give any enemy who tries to harm them a serious beating.

"Yes father, I know we have a better chance with both Refmonk and I in the same battle ground" Satir replied looking at Refmonk whilst he talked to see if Refmonk will object"

Refmonk just smiled because knew his brother was right. The two of them formed one hell of a team during the war and there was no denying it now. The other members of the team said nothing. They just went with the flow. They figured more powerful people in their team will mean the more threat they were to Xiatri.

"Ref, I have an idea" Satir tapped his brother on his shoulder and stopped him so he could tell him the plan he hatched during his sleepless night.

"Really?" Refmonk asked anxiously. He needed any plan that could augment the one they had to defeat Xitari because Xitari is so cunning you need more than just a plan A and B.

"You remember how you held me in your Mind Cell during one of our trainings? So I was thinking and I realise that Xitari used the same version of move on you just as you did to me"

"Yes I knew that already" Refmonk said partly sad and regrettably.

"So here is what I thought. What if we formed a mind bridge just like he did with you? That way, when he attacks you and forms the bridge, you will detach yourself and let him have my mind in his cell instead. Then you get the leeway to attack him since he will not suspect a thing. If we take him by surprise, we will defeat him easily.

"This will work. It might actually work" Uriel said happily.

Refmonk felt the same too but he was scared. He didn't want his brother to go through what he went through with Xitari. He didn't want to object also when he knew his brother's plan was actually ingenious. Saluu was scared too. This new arrangement could see him lose both of his sons and he was not ready for that. He would never ever be.

"Yes. This will work" Kalia added that as she started walking toward her rhino. The enchantment on the bees couldn't hold after three days and that was the end to their transport by air.

Saluu said a passionate goodbye to his sons and the whole team before he took the path that lead to the ad hoc council's meeting grounds at Trade Central. He prayed for them in the language of the ancestors and asked for their success and protection. With that he left knowing this could be the last time he saw his sons in the flesh.

The trip to the Old Lands had finally began. The team were quite surprised Xitari had actually been gone for that long. He should have found out by now that Chiti and his spawns had been dead and should have returned with the rage he was known for to kill them all. They ended up debating the reasons as to why he could have kept so long in returning among themselves.

"Suddenly they felt a huge ominous creature flying towards them and they knew the end was here. Whether it will be their end or Xitari's they didn't really care now. They have come too far to be afraid and they can't afford that since Xitari will play that to his advantage.

Xitari decided to draw first blood. He flapped his wings and sent a gust of powerful wind towards the team. The whole team went down and were reeling from the surprise attack. Xitari landed with a sickening thud and shook the very ground on which they stood spooking the rhinos who run away leaving their riders to face their fate alone.

"Well well well. Who do we have here? My old friends. I would have prepared a feast in your honour if I knew you were coming my way" Xitari decided to taunt them as they tried recovering from the attack. I actually wanted you to meet a few people; my family but unfortunately, they were killed by you. I know they were. Now I have to be alone again. That I cannot forgive you for" Xitari continued coldly.

"Yes we killed your family. They attacked us first and we killed them to save our own lives. We know you placed them on the path to the Old Lands so we never get to see the Nymphs and got to learn about you" Kalia replied.

"You are a spirited one, aren't you? Well, I promise you I will enjoy killing you too. I really will" Xitari replied trying to figure what made this Orc so bold in his presence. Maybe they had met more than just their time in Trade Central, he reckoned.

"Do your worst Xitari. We are neither scared of you nor of what you can do to us" Refmonk added.

"Boyyyyyy. You dare defy me? Xitari asked in disbelief. He was surprised Refmonk could still stand up to him after all that he had put him through. He knew much about the torture Refmonk went through because he never broke the mind bridge between them. It only weakened with time and distance and finally broke after Refmonk had burnt out. However he didn't have the Mind Bridge in place and now would be a very good time to use it since he just couldn't suck the life out of them. None of them were afraid of him. It was clear to him now.

"Don't try that because it won't work this time" Refmonk said with an air of confidence to Xitari when he realise that Xitari could be planning on using the Mind Bridge on him anytime soon.

"There is only one way to find out" Xitari said with a sneer.

Satir casted powerful move the Sorcerers Claws on Xiatri hastily. That made him angrier. He hadn't noticed that they had brought a fifth person. It wasn't as if the move made a dent through his scales though it would have dealt devastating amounts of damage on any normal creature. Xitari just wasn't normal.

"Wait... You are new. How come you are not scared of me?" Xitari asked with pain in his tone. He always felt important and revered because of the levels of fear he was able to invoke in others but it looks like this team had found out his deadliest weapon and best kept secret.

"No one here is scared of you Xitari. Today is the day we end you" Refmonk shot back.

"Shut up boyyyy." Xitari hit Refmonk with a fireball to sound a note of caution to communicate that he would not be disrespected any longer.

"Now I'll kill your friends just the same way I killed your chiefs. Then I'll kill you too. You'll die a slow painful death. I will imprint the images of you killing your chiefs, your father and your friends so deeply in your mind that the guilt will gnaw your life force faster than my dark magic."

Kalia stepped in front of Refmonk to protect him and the others when Xitari took his spell casting stance.

"Wait! You. I remember you now. I thought I killed you. You did not die with the other Orcs? I am surprised. I hardly am so I guess I need to congratulate you... Well, you got me. But it's good any way. I get to finish what I started.

"No. You will not touch any of them" Refmonk shot back angrily.

"Aww you all are just so cute" I do not know which is more pathetic, you trying to protect them or you thinking you can defy me. Now I see. You love them. This just got more interesting. Anyway take this advice from a partner in crime. You may not love them romantically but whatever love that you have for them is fatal to you. Love won't do you any good. It will just hurt you the more. It will just make you weak like it did to me, Chiti and whoever was foolish enough to fall to its whims. "

"It is funny, none of you bothered to find out about how I came to hate you so much. Whatever you heard from anyone about how this whole road to vengeance was carved may not be entirely true. Well I will tell you anyway, you at least deserve one good story before you die" Xitari teased them.

"But before that, just be good folks and listen" Xitari said as he cast an immobilising spell so fast on them, they did not see it coming. Within a few moments, they were all paralyzed.

"Now I won't be caught unawares. Let's get to the story, shall we?" He added as he tried going into his human mode. Xiatri always looked good as a human being. He looked completely innocent but that wicked glint he had in his eyes when he tortured Refmonk was still there.

"Your ancestors came into my land and killed us just because they wanted our food. Human beings are just too greedy. We left them to have the plants but no... They wanted everything, all our food. I would not have had a problem if we were killed because we stood in the way of your survival. No. I wouldn't have been angry. I know I would have done the same had the tables been reversed. But you guys killed us for sport too. Just to validate your egos and front a courage you have never had in the first place. That's why I always want to scare you senseless before I finally kill you. That way I can strip you of your false sense of fearlessness and courage and make you see how much of a spineless and pretentious people you really are. You make me sick, sick with vengeance"

"I decided to punish you... all of you for killing my family. I was the only one who got away and there was no way I was going to make peace with you but love happened. It changed my goals. I went into your ancestral village one day to wreck the havoc that they had coming on them. I went as a human because I just wanted to blend in and hit them with a surprise attack. But I met someone special and fell in love. She was the best human ever and she loved me too. Later she found out who and what I really am but she never gave me away. Renneka loved me like nobody had ever done. I loved her too and that made me forget the plan of vengeance I wanted to visit on your kind. She made me very happy and even though I was the last of my kind, I never felt lonely. She always made sure of that. On one unfortunate day, a Kennisu, probably the last of its kind attacked the village. Kennisus do not exist now because I killed the very last one. They were nasty creatures that lived in the waters of the Old Lands and preyed on the animals that drank from these waters........."

Satir burst into laughter after realising that Xitari just called another creature nasty. "Who could be nastier than Xitari?" He asked himself and burst out laughing. He wasn't supposed to be able to laugh while under Xitari's spell but he did anyway. Something was not right but it was all part of Xitari's plans. He relaxed this immobilisation spell so that he could see their reactions to his story before he finally kills them. He thought it will be fun to hear what they said and see the expressions on their faces.

"What is funny...? I think I should kill you now... I am actually going to do that but not until you finish hearing the whole story. It is the least I can do" Xitari teased trying to hide his anger at being distracted by the laughter.

".... So a Kennisu attacked the village one day. It was a very strange occurrence since though they could live on land, they never came out of their waters. I guess this one was so hungry and needed to feed as soon as possible or die. That foul creature nearly got the son of the Chief but I transformed into my dragon self and killed the creature without mercy. When the people saw me for who I really was inside, they forgot all the memories we shared. They forgot all about how good of a neighbour I had been, how wonderful of a husband and a better human I had been. I was better than most of them were capable of being though I am just a dragon. They suddenly attacked me. Renneka would not have them harm me so she tried covering me only to be killed by one of the spears hurled at her. That broke everything in me and made me so bitter... so bitter that the only thing that could make me happy was when I ripped everything you loved from your hands like you did mine"

"Xitari... we are not responsible for this. Our ancestors did it. We had no idea of their crimes against you and we never did harm you in any way" Ridu tried pleading their innocence.

"Shut up Dwarf" Xitari bellowed getting much angrier. His human self literally was just shaking with pent up bitterness and anger. "You are responsible for everything by virtue of your birth. That blood and magic force you had in you was handed to you because of your bloodline. You are descendants of the last male I should have killed, the one who got away after I had killed all the others. If you inherited the magic, you should be prepared to inherit the curses too. And you killed Chitti and my spawns too" Xiatri added.

For the first time, Kalia saw reason in whatever Xitari was saying. It actually made sense to her but she dared not say anything to make him angrier. Uriel did not think so, she felt the she needed to get Xitari angrier because the angrier he his, the more he talked. So far Xitari had admitted he was weaker in his human form since he had to revert to his dragon self to kill that Kennisu. She was very sure was not the only one in their team who caught that. Moreover, she can afford to vex Xitari more since he had promised not to kill any of them till he had finished the story. Xitari just liked to keep his word.

"Chitti? You never loved her. Did you?" Uriel asked.

"That shouldn't be of any concern to you but since I promised you a good story, I should just add what happened between us" Xitari replied.

"After your ancestor had escaped with his mother, I traced them till I got to Nymph Haven. The thickets would not allow me since it didn't judge me to be of a noble intentions. But who needed a noble heart when you have magic. Lots of it. I broke the barrier with lots of my magic and when I finally got in, I was so worn out and I was captured and imprisoned by the Nymphs. Chitti was sent to bring me food always so that I don't die in my prison. She took particular interest in me and would want me to talk with her as she came on her routine food delivery. I saw how gullible she was out of all the Nymphs and warmed up to her. If ever there was a way out of here, Chitti was going to lead me to it. After a couple of months, I had regained a significant amount of my powers and Chitti loved me a lot by then. She understood me and all I had gone through and she was just curious about me since I was the first dragon she had ever met. We planned our escape but when we were finally ready to leave, we were found out and we had to battle our way out. We ended up destroying Nymph Haven at the cost of our freedom. I left her to reproduce our spawns so that I set things in motion for your destruction and to prevent you from getting to the Nymphs. But you found them and destroyed them; my only hope of not being lonely anymore. I am not angry you killed Chitti, I never loved her. I am angry you killed what she stood for; a means to produce my spawns so that I never needed to be lonely anymore" Xitari said sadly.

Everything made sense to the team now. Their only crime was being descendants of Muzizi, the first human to ever have magic.

"Ok... you die now.........And you my dear Refmonk, you're going to finish what you started. You have the exclusive honour of killing all your friends. After you are done, I will just let you follow me about, dead inside from all the guilt. That way I am never lonely because I'll have you to torture anytime I am bored"

Xitari quickly casted his Mind Bridge on Refmonk. He was so sure it would work like it did the last time but Refmonk resisted. Xitari was able to push through with his move by expending much more magic force. Finally, he connected and Refmonk reeled from all the pain he was going through. He had happened to get all of Xitari's attention now. Xitari felt challenged since Refmonk was foiling and vehemently resisting his attempts at taking over his mind. That made him concentrate on the Refmonk and forgot all about the others. Refmonk took the opportunity to cast a De-containment spell he had learnt for moments like this with just enough power to free Satir.

Satir was lurking in the background all along and as he casted the De-containment spell his brother taught him to break the others free, he got them ready for the surprise attack on Xitari. Satir connected his mind over the bridge to form a cross bridge which gave a lee way for the now exhausted Refmonk to switch his mind with that of Satir's in the Mind cell. All of this happened so fast that Xitari didn't even notice it happening. He was completely played this time.

Before he knew what was happening, the other people were free and Refmonk seemed to have broken his hold over him. He knew he had to revert back into his dragon self since his human self was not strong enough to handle all the members of the team all at once.

Refmonk caught him in his transformational stage by casting a similar version of his Xitari's immobilising spell on him. His transformational state was where he most vulnerable and weakest and the team have figured out that by now.

"Ridu nowwww!!" Sita urged Ridu who brought out the Ender weapon and shot it through his bow straight through the heart of Xitari. It worked. It really did. Xitari started oozing blood and had a stark look of disbelief on his face. He never expected the team to find his weakness. He didn't even think he had one himself.

He just laid on the ground shuffling through all the creatures he could shapeshift into as the life and magic left his body. As he breathed his last, his look of disbelief slowly transformed into a smile. Maybe all that vindictiveness and bitterness that was eating him slowly from inside was leaving too. Now that he was dying, he could care less about what could happen to Refmonk and all the other creatures. He knew he was going to meet all the people who had been taken from him, all the people he loved; his friends and family and then his beloved Renneka. He knew he was going on to a better place and there, he will not be lonely ever again. Never again.

#### The End

## Epilogue

The team matched gallantly to back to Clover Circle with a great sense of accomplishment and pride. They did it. They defeated Xitari and set their lands free when it was on the brink of imminent extinction.

Refmonk was feeling all better now. He had seen first-hand that he could not do everything on his own. He needed help with Xitari. There was no way he could have immobilised Xitari and still deal the deadly blow to him all on his own. This few past months had really changed him and made him grow in ways he never thought was possible. He had also learnt about the course of prophecy. It is basically like the future, there are infinite possibilities in it. It is the same with destiny too. Destiny is not a jinx, a curse or blessing that constricts you and make you do things you do not want to do. Destiny rides on free will. The power to make choices itself is a major determinant of destiny than prophecies. Prophecies only serve to guide our path as we make decisions that will ultimately culminate into our destinies.

The team got to Clover Circle in no time. The journey seemed shorter than it actually was. They just couldn't wait to go back and tell every one of their exploits and how it all happened.

Pomp, pageantry and a week-long celebrations greeted them when they finally made it to Trade Central. They were heroes and their lives would never be the same. They didn't need any diviner to tell them that. It was more evident now than ever before.

The chiefs were buried as it had been stipulated. Muthar finally found rest. Just as Ormey, Fey and Ladu. They had been great leaders but as fate will have it, their chapters were to be closed so that a new paradigm can be effected.

The ad hoc council was maintained as the leadership council of Clover Circle. They comprised Chiefs from the four clans and sub chiefs who acted as foremost elders. Two Chiefs were chosen from the Orc clan and Werewolf clan in addition to Ridu and Saluu. Their first act of leadership was to break down the barriers to entry between the clans and get the whole Circle united and close knitted. They were one family after all and they had to stick much closer than ever. Due to their differences and resentments towards one another, Xitari capitalized on that and nearly destroyed them.

Apparently, the prophecy was not interpreted as well as it should have. The End of Days didn't really mean the total annihilation of the clans in Clover Circle. It actually meant an end to all the days of rivalry and enmity between the clans and the dawn of a new era of unity and togetherness. However, that unity was to come at a cost and that cost was Xitari and his plan of completely destroying all the descendants of Muzizi. The Nymph, Rukida in her vision saw just one version of a possible future; a future where Xitari finally achieved his goal with the help of Refmonk and that future looked certain had they not found a way to go around the prophecy.

It seems as if everyone was wiser now. Many had learnt from this experience and the ensuing days would not find the Circle smaller than the great civilization they should have been by now. They were ready to put up the work to make up for all the time they had lost bickering and fighting themselves.

The five friends had learnt lessons too. They had learnt the power of unity and team work. Their job in Clover Circle was done and they have to move to Decapolis to set it free from Sakai. Wherever Sakai was, he just needed to be cautious because nothing is more dangerous to his tyrannical reign over Decapolis than five powerful magical beings who know their worth, learnt from their mistakes and have excellent team work and understanding.

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