Book One: The Gifted Child -Chapter Six
#2 of The Rithmorie Chronicles
I feel a bit off and I'm going to take another break.
" What the hell is going on here!" Athreal said again. His paws were set ablaze with his anger. Before Tonka or Cath could react or say anything, Athreal stormed up to them. They tried to pull apart and Tonka had changed his grey fur to red, but was grabbed by the throat and Cath was grabbed as well. He had pulled them apart and threw Cath aside and he hit the wall. He fell to the ground limp, unconscious. Tonka squirmed as his breathing was getting rougher as the grip around his throat got tighter. The flames on Athreal's paws didn't hurt Tonka at all but he needed to escape.
" How dare you insult me like this. I will not have a son that like other males!!" Athreal yelled as he tried to choke Tonka. Tonka closed his eyes and changed his fur color to blue. He soon felt the pain of the fire touching him but his form changed to that of a liquid. He slipped from Athreals grasp easily and reformed himself quickly as a solid, coughing heavily. He ran for Cath to see if he was okay. He heard the howling of his father and looked back as he held Cath close to him. His father had a large fireball in his paws and Tonka instantly changed his fur color to red.
As his father threw the large fireball Tonka but up a sheild around him and Cath of fire to protect him. He was immune to it but he knew Cath was not. There was a huge explosion that blew up the house. Tonka and Cath flew out into the air, landing on the ground. Tonka still had Cath and gave him a soft landing which of course knocked him out. Cath started to wake up only to see Athreal running to them. Seeing Tonka unconscious he got mad and rand to Athreal. Cath wasn't stupid though. He knew that he couldn't take Athreal head on. He just needed to buy some time. He parried Athreal's fire with shields of wood.
They had disintegrated instantly as the fire hit them but he kept making another shield. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. 'Tonka... wake up hon.. I need your help...' He prayed in his thoughts.
" Athreal! What is the meaning of this!" Simon stated. The large explosion was enough to wake the entire village. " Why are you back so soon and where is Kahz?" He asked he stepped in front of him. He stood in the way between Athreal and the two boys. Seeing his opportunity he ran to Tonka, using his power to try and heal him. Adriana soon followed.
" Kahz stayed behind to help make the treaty final so that we all can live in peace with the Borlusn tribe. I was sent home to let you all know. Then I find this filth in my house. Making love to one another." He yelled pointing at the two boys.
" Athreal enough. Just because they are males doesn't make them damned. Now enough of this. Why did Kahz stay back. He is old and frail." Adriana asked. Simon had frost falling fro his paws as if he was ready for something.
" They are sending people with supplies as a finalization of our peace treaty. They wont harm us anymore and Kahz is going to be with them." Tonka soon woke up and sat up as he felt like he was rejuvinated. He winced as his rear hurt and Cath whimpered softly at that. Tonka just smiled and licked his nose.
" That doesn't make any sense Athreal. But what ever. You lay one hand on these two and I will-"
" You will what Simon? Beat me down? You couldn't even lay a hand on me let alone beat me. Besides, I am leader of this village and my word is law."
" That wont be the case soon Athreal. I am going to challenge you during the next season." Simon stated. He was furious. Soon silence washed over the village. The only sound was the burning of wood that was once Tonka's home. That silence was soon broken by the sound of a horn.
" Oh well.. that was faster than I thought." Athreal stated as he began to laugh.
" Athreal... what have you done...?" Adriana asked. Soon a couple huskies ran up, panting heavily.
" The Borlusn's are attacking! They have a large invasion force. It just came over the hil!" one had said. Adriana looked at Athreal with a look of disgust and betrayal. Simon rushed around quickly.
" Everyone quickly! He must try and prepare as best as we can. Get all the children inside! Healers in the back others in the front!" He yelled out as he tried to raly up the troops. Adriana was mortified at the thought of her husband betraying them all.
" Why Athreal?" She had asked. She waited for an answer and was met with a fist to the face that threw her to the side.
" Shut up witch. You all are weak! Pathetic! You all deserve to be ran into the ground like the scum that you are." he yelled as his body started to get covered in a black mist. " I am the only Rithmorie and my dark lord will reward me with eternit!" he said as he laughed. He grabbed on of the children. Gripping her by the neck. His black magic seeping into her, draining her of her very life. " This is the element of Darkness... fear it as it and I will consume you all!!" he yelled as the Borlusn's got to the gate. There were an all manner of explosions and the sound of flesh being ripped from the body filled the air. Tonka looked at the flames that were engulfing everything.
" Tonka... RUN!!" He heard his mother yell. He didn't waste time. he helped Cath up and they began to run. The jackles didn't waste anytime killing all that was in their wake. Lots of Rithmorie were being killed as they weren't prepared for an invasion. Adriana lept up tripped Athreal with her vines. Each time he would use fire, she would drench him in water to not let him have the chance. Athreal looked up and saw Tonka running with Cath, away from the battle.
" No! He will pay like all of you!" He howled out as he created a pulse of shadowy energy from his body. " I will start this with you!" he growled as he started to lift Adriana with shadowy tendril from his body, crashing her into multiple things.
" You alright Cath?" Tonka asked as they ran behind one of the houses. They had crouched down in some bushes, trying to hide.
"Ya I'm find Tonka... Your father... Just betrayed our whole village. And he tried to kill you..."
" I know... I don't know whats going on.. but its not good. I feel we need to do something. We need to-" TOnka had tried to say before he was cut off by an odd scream nearby. He soon saw a large Jackle just a few meters away and he was running at them. The large Jackle threw the spear and both of them didn't know how to act it was coming for Tonka and he was stunned. He couldn't move. he closed his eyes and heard the sickening sound of the spear peircing flesh.
He was shaking and soon felt the warm drops of a strange fluid on his muzzle. He looked and saw Cath. Cath had jumped in front of the spear to save him. Tonka's eyes began to water as he heard Cath's shallow breathing. "C-Cath...?" he said as the tears began to flow from his eyes, mixing in with the blood on his muzzle. He heard the laughing of the jackle and all he felt was hate and anger to him. He looked at the jackle as the large male moved closer. He set Cath on his side and held up a paw, his fur changing to a darker color than it had. Blood started to drip from his nose as clenched his fist and it seemed like the air around the jackle compacted, crushing him instantly. His blood spilled out everywhere, covering the two small huskies foot paws. He soon looked back at his mate and held him in his arms.
The tears dripping from his nose as he put pressure against the wound where the spear tip pierced all the way through him. " C-Cath... don't die.." he said as he started to cry.
" T-Tonka.." Cath coughed as the warm blood started to ooze from his muzzle. " Tonka you must go on... Live... I can't be healed... its to late and... and the wound is to.. to sever." Cath heaved. He started to close his eyes. " I... I love..." he started to say but his voice trailed off. He heard Cath let go of his breath, breathing out.
" Cath...?" Tonka said softly. His body was shaking and his mind didn't know what to do. " C-Cath..?" he said louder, shaking the husky in his arms. The realization soon hit him. He reared his head back and screamed out to the heaven's as he cried, holding the lifeless body of his mate in his arms. Thunder started to sound in the clouds above and it started to rain.
Adriana kept Athreal at bay but soon the large male grew tired at being hosed down into the ground. He created a shock wave from his body which caused Adriana to lose her footing. He didn't hit the ground how ever. Simon had caught her. She smiled but the moment was short lived as Simon was pulled away from her quickly. Shadowy tendril grabbing them both and tossing thing asside. Adriana hit a wall, crashing through it. Knocking her unconcious. Simon landed on his feet and skidded back a few feet.
" You aren't a Rithmorie... you are traiterous scum." Simon said as he summoned swords of ice to his paws. " ANd you will pay for what you did!" he yelled out as he charged Athreal. The large male didn't waist any time as he used his shadowy tendrils as whips and flung them at Simon. Simon was agile and fast so he easily dodged. As he got close enough to strike something happened. Athreal's paw was on his chest. He felt a strange sensation and dropped his swords. He felt weak, drained and soon couldn't move at all.
Adriana started to wake and looked up just in time to see Athreal draining Simon. " Now now Simon... what was this about challenging me? You don't seem all that well." Athreal said calmly. He made Simon kneel and got behind him. He soon saw Adriana awake and laughed. " Now my wife... watch as you best friend dies."
" No!" SHe screamed and went to get up. But before she could the painful sounding snap of bone could be heard as Athreal broke Simon's neck. She stood there in shock as the sound ripped through her very being. She was stunned as Athreal walked up to her and grabbed her by the throat.
" Where is he?" he asked as he started to choke her.
" You will never find him... I don't know where he is..." she coughed up. Tonka, moving away from the body of his mate soon heard the cries of his mother. He perked his ears up. He couldn't stop shaking as he closed Cath's eyes. He was covered in a lot of blood that wasn't even his. As he looke at where the middle of own would be he saw bodies every where. Jackles and huskies alike. He soon saw Athreal holding his mother up by her throat and he was yelling at her. The husky wanted to go save her but for some reason couldn't bring himself to move. " You will never find my son. I don't even know where he is." She chuckled.
" Then I have no more use of you Adriana." Athreal stated as he picked up a sword from the ground and impaled her on it. Not just once, but four times and then stabbed her into the ground. Tonka was furious and scared. He just watched everything he knew and loved just vanish before his eyes. The fires were burning down all the huts they had nothing was left. He saw Athrea turn his back and ran toward the Rith, their sacred pool. He looked around and heard commotion behind him. He didn't see a very good place to hide so he changed his fur color to blue and jumped into the pool of water. He closed his eyes and held his breath for as long as he could in the Rith. It seemed like ages and as he sat down on the cold stone, he looked up to the sky. He had a bunch of feelings that he didn't understand. He was scared and lonely. He closed his eyes softly and soon things just went dark.
" Sir we can't find the child anywhere. It is possible he was killed in the fray." A jackle had stated.
" That is a possibility. I suppose that our Lord will have to do with out his soul. But just to be safe, check everywhere. And the Rith,..." he said under his breath. " I don't want anyone to acquire this power outside of me." he stated. He created a large fireball in his hand and shot it at the temple walls next to the Rith pool, causing it to fall and cover up the pool itself. Sealing it under a pile of rubble.
" Now lets be done here. Make sure we didn't miss anyone and be gone before day braek. We have much to do. This was just the first step. " Athreal stated as he started to leave the now dead village. He didn't see another living soul inside of it and smiled happily. " Its a shame... I was hoping to see my son killed... I would have enjoyed watching my Lord eat his soul." he said under his breath.
Tonka soon woke up. he wasn't sure how long he had been sleeping. But he felt that it wasn't to long as the bite mark left by his former mate was still incredibly fresh. He blinked a bit looking up seeing a cover over the top of the Rith. What surprised him even more was the lack of water in here. He didn't think to much of it but he knew he had to escape. his head was swimming and he felt incredibly light headed. He evaluated that he wasn't going to be able to lift the stone. He did have an idea in mind though. He focused on himself for a few moments and eventually become a solid-like liquid and began to push himself between the cracks. He had done this once before he remembered. When he almost drowned in the Rith.
He soon emerged from the stones that had trapped him. He looked over the village and started to tear up as there was nothing left. Everything was still burning. He ran down as he saw no more Jackles and no sign of his father. He soon found what he was looking for. His mother was still laying there, breathing very shallow. " M...mother?" he asked as he started to shake.
" No Tonka... don't... Its to late for me... Don't cry now... there is.. is something I must tell you..." she said softly to him as she placed a paw on his cheek.
" Don't leave me please...?" he cried as he tried to use healing magic but nothing was working. His fur had changed back to blue and he couldn't change to something else.
" Tonka hush and listen... Athreal... Athreal isn't really your father.... Go to the mountains... look for a cave."
" W.. what..?" Tonka asked as he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
" Look for a cave in the mountains... and no... no matter what... never be afraid of the dark..." she said softly with a softly. " I love you Tonka... now... now go... and find your real father..." she said softly. Her voice trailing off and her hand fell from his cheek.
" M.. mother..?" he had said once. He knew she was gone and he reared his head back and howled in sorrow and hurt. The clouds thundered again as he felt broken. He didn't know what to do anymore. He couldn't stop thinking about her words and decided to take the time to give everyone a burial. He found everyone that he could and buried them right next to each other. Cath and his mother was last. He got to Cath and before he buried him completely he leaned down to give him a kiss. " Good bye... all of you..." he said softly as he covered up his lover with the earth. It was morning now by the time he finished and it was raining heavily. The rest of the village burt down to ash and all that was truely left were the dead bodies of Jackles.
He looked around a bit and saw the mountains. They didn't see that far but he would have to traverse through the forest first. His mothers words stuck in his head like a virus as he shivered and walked in the rain. He didn't have any clothes or anything because he couldn't find any at the moment. His ears were drooped down and his fur was soaked as he looked down at the ground. The loss settling in and the loneliness started to eat at him.
_Athreal... isn't my father? _
He thought to himself.
If he isn't.... then who is?