EarthBorn: First Days

4th Day 6th Quarter

4 Quarters till Sky Change

“What is she?”...”I Dunno, she’s all tall and ugly though”...”Maybe we should feed her to the Mandibles”...”Yeah hahaha!”...the room is pitch black, Maidon just regaining consciousness cannot see but can hear voices of two captors talking in the pitch blackness somewhere...

“Who is there? Why have you trapped me?”...the two voices stop immediately and the room falls silent...

“OI”... She bellows which is followed instantly by the two screaming like wee children and running from the chamber , one screaming in fear the other in buckets of tears...

“AHHHH SAVE US SAVE US!”...left shocked and surprised all Maidon can do is sit down as the two scream off down the corridors she cannot see until they echo away into silence... Maidons skin is constantly warm, with no flames and only cage bars to touch she does not know anything other then she was at least inside although in darkness, she sits patiently and waits for the return of anyone, what seemed forever flashed away with the sound of a group approaching, double marching as a collective down the corridor towards her dungeon... She rises to her feet in anticipation waiting for the entry of the host, the door slams open and they all enter into the pitch black...

“SIGHT ME”... A stern commanding voice orders , after some unseen calamity flames burst to life illuminating the darkness revealing Maidons captors, short rugged men covered in dirt all but one who stood central to the dirt wall room looking directly and only at Maidon in her cage helpless, her skin runes pulse as she stands anxiously waiting to be addressed, the hands of her captors are short with wide rough fingers that flatten towards the tips, they bear thick rings of beauty stone carved with wrist bands from loved ones, facial hair to a minimum with hairless bodies strong from routine they have the mentality and arms of military not mercenary signalling intelligence and order...

“What are you and why have you come here?”...the Central decorated Man demands in his rough accent, he takes slow steps towards the cage then begins to circle around observing this captured goddess...

“I am Maidons wrath of Earth, I have come on behalf of the Sapiens to ask for your aid, I was under the impression a great and ancient people dwell here? Clearly I was mistaken?!, now if you would kindly release me I have a war to attend to?” ...the dungeon erupts into laughter, the hysterics halted with the firm arm of their commander who did not laugh...

“War you say? And who might that be with your ladyship....aye?”...

“The rock stack legions , me and my kin exposed and expelled the shepherds from the Sapien keep, now for our good deed the mighty shepherds send all they have to destroy the people...Now release me and the Man I arrived with so we can return! If you don’t want to help I’m not going to fight you but i will leave with my stuff!....everything!”...The commander freezes in stare...

“So...those silly buggers woke up then, stopped being naïve to the world can’t be that many left by now? “...Maidon says nothing just looking back at him unmoved ...”say I were to believe you Stanger, you are in fact at war with that Grrreen Bitch and her minions, why come here? What would you ask for past reinforcements”...

“I would ask” she pauses looking around at the eager faces looking back at her like they are waiting for a punch line....”i would ask for unity between our people to end the shepherds terrible reign ! Together we can change the world !”...

The room falls silent, everybody looks at each other with proud faces, the commanders face fills with a rare joy, he walks to the cage opening the door taking her hand and pulling her out...

“Then it is unity we shall have...boys, light the way ...how long do we have to prepare?...Maidon is confused and stutters...”common serpent got your tongue now? How long do we have lassy?”...Maidon finds her voice and replies...

“We have until tomorrow 4 Quarter noon remaining, we must move fast”...

“we will be ready long before my dear, this is a rear guard outpost here to halt any advance, you came to right place...come I will explain on the way we must get going”...Maidon stops after a pair of strides and asks the short Man ...

“Who are you?”...He does not stop only shouting back...

“WarBound, Tankitz”...Maidon reiterates under her breathe...

“WarBound!?”...she chases him down the spiralling tunnel to catch up nearly bumping her head several times on the short ceilings before Tankitz halts on a large terrace looking down into a subterranean fort, garrisoned in neat fashion organized as a professional force would lay encamped down beneath their feet in pitched huts, thousands all training in drill and combat, seasoned professionals anxious to once again take the field wait patiently for the day to come...

“WarBound Tankitz, where is my friend”...

“Aii apologies I almost forgot....HEY AIRON YOUR MISSUS IS AWAKE! And just for future lassie the name is just Tankitz, Warbound is what we are!”...He turns to Maidon...”He has not stopped asking for you, he told us everything before we spoke to you, we just needed to hear your stories collaborate”...from down below Airon comes from a tent looking clean fresh and fed with a glow only come from being well treated, he notices Maidon and runs for the stairs to join her up high at pace immediately...

“You see there’s a big wide world out there Lassie, this is just a small drop in an ocean of war, my people are in battle as we speak all over keeping the Shepherds armies at bay, we are here to hold this land at all costs, if they are moving then so will we...how many men have you?”...

“three and a half thousand man and beast, they March to meet the enemy at dawn?”...Tankitz looks down at his garrisoned men and huffs disappointed...

“At least its not no thousands!? Good job we were born bred for this!”...Maidon looks as he approaches a podium that consist of a small walkway overhanging above the troops below, Airon cresses the small step stairs and runs straight to Maidon as she does unto him, they embrace each other tight, no words can escape them but every possible word felt through the touch of each others skin, their finger tips dig deep into each others backs, Tankitz begins his address parting them to heed his words...

“My WarBound , honourable WarBound of our Queen Colonia the only, the time for our purpose to be carried out has come to be, the cave dwellers and green sorceress make for the pass eastwards forth...that cannot happen!....we could not siege them head on but now they are out in the open , it is time to strike hard and fast into their hearts, to let them know that this way is closed by our Hand for Our queen, LETS RUIN THESE BASTARDSSSS!.....NOW MOBILISE!”...The army chants and cheers in bloodthirsty uproar, the ground beneath begins to move alive with adrenaline fuelled soldiers in hasty preparation for the battle to come, the deep drums and hollowed flutes stomach powered bagpipes play in winding native folk symphony, at the end of the halls lies a walkway lit by bioluminescent larvae homed in the very walls they lead out to the surface, Tankitz walks from his pedestal back to the terrace to where Airon and Maidon are waiting...

“See lass, we are always ready, food and provisions are in my quarters, we will be fully mobilised on the surface in a few hours, get some rest and I’ll see you up there, and Airon, make it quick lad will ya!”...Tankitz elaborately bows then about faces marching off resolute and proud, Airon turns to Maidon holding his hand out...

“Shall we?”...after a moment of apprehension she takes his hand and allows him to lead her to Tankitz Quarters, Airon clean shaved and dressed eloquently captivates Beautiful chaos with polished appearance, with his words from the pebble seas resurfacing in her thoughts, they enter the pitch, fully made out the tables bear fruit and fresh baked breads from the cooks, cleansing water in raised basins accompanied by heated hand rags and a warm hearth the bed enough for four lay with furs from lands far Eastward, warm cosy duvet from beasts of the icy colds, Maidon drawn to the steaming basins she removes all straps and harnesses holding her outer armour and weapons revealing smooth olive skin designed her skin glows quelled ,standing in nothing but her boots shorts and worn chest cloth she lays her hands into the tingling water to find that her hands are not alone, thousands of tiny creatures glow in sunlight yellow attaching themselves to her raw skin organisms stripping her hand of the dead and harmful, she pulls them out uneasy at the reaction the lights go out in instance, Airon standing right behind her now stops her retreat running his hands from shoulders down to her wrist taking her hands in his and slowly submerging them allowing themselves to be bound in cleansing light, she tingles from head down to her toes and back up again the steam rises warming her face from the nose outwards to the ears, the smells stir filling the quarters with a rich warm odour that see the muscles gently relax against her own will, Airons warm hands slide their way back up to her shoulders leaving residue in drops on the way up that trickle down over her nerves, His warm skin pressed up against her back sends shingles up and down her spine like an electric charge, he moves her hair from the left of her face round the back of her neck exposing the soft unseen flesh of which he had dreamed since they first met, light strokes with the back of his laboured fingers the rough cuticles send her body into new motions never felt, unable to withhold her lust she turns hard on the spot in his arms to face to face, bewitched by each other they embrace their lips, locked in first kiss they break only to make for the bed, Maidon push Airon back sending him onto the bed before she remove her last garments, a fabled sight the truest of angels cannot match his gaze of blatant testament, like a lioness she crawl into bed with him sliding through his open legs to greet his lips with hers, they feel each others warmth their hands working into every dimple across every sensitive spot from the thighs upwards, he rolls her over to her back taking top position looking dead into her flame glint innocent eyes that grow into unthinkable lust, a demoness unleashed, she moves her hands down the curve of Airons spine taking his buttocks into each of her palms, a sense of overwhelming urgency floods through her tensing all her body and forcing his hips to thrust in to her hard, pain of virginity shattered by her new birth of fealty to him she does not cease as his sweat soaked body take rhythm between her quivering thighs, the fire crackles through it’s fuel, the pair locked in passionate embrace continue to roll about the sheets and comforting furs for which seemed forever, lost in her first time to a man she has known only a short while his thrusting grows firmer and faster forcing sweat to take the air as vapour, she freezes completely taken over by a feeling building deep inside that she cannot control or keep at bay, he intensifies bringing his eyes to hers and nowhere else, she begins to erupt in uncontrollable sensations Airon beginning to groan and breathe heavy he does not stop but ramps up his efforts to please his goddess , the sounds of their passion come to loud sound before Airon release his seed into her, she knows it is forbidden but the moment of instinct prevails and the connection made they lay hard of breaths on each side of the bed recuperating themselves while lost in each others eyes gasping for air to quell their now restless bodies...

“Are you Ok?”...he softly asks across the fur faced pillows that cradle their heads, she looks but does not speak only rolling over into his arms where they lay in silence embraced and smitten feeling the beats of each others heart for a time until...

“HELLO, ARE YOU TWO READY”...a young sprite Colonian comes in through the canvass without knocking and finds Maidon and Airon bound cloth less in the generals elaborate carved bed...

“I’m so sorry me lady, General Tankitz says we are fully mobilised and to meet him on the surface as quickly as possible”...he turns and leaves the quarters embarrassed leaving Maidon and Airon sniggering and giggling in the sheets before they too clamber up and back into their battledress as quickly as possible, as they stand ready they smile at each other one last time, sharing one final kiss they leave the quarters walking onto the terrace where the intruding Colonian awaits them both with two royal vanguard either side in full armour, fine constructs using the armour of insects as plating etched in coats of arms conjoined with flexible rivets of natural gum, identical to each other they match to perfection...

“Sorry for my intrusion earlier ma’am , it’s not like there’s a door I can knock on haha!”...the central Colonian nervously attempts to break the ice, Maidon replies polite to end the hosts discomfort...

“It is fine, there isn’t a door or knocker is there so you know just walk in”...

“yes exactly what I thought”...Maidon looks at him with a raised eyebrow and cheeky grin...he clears his throat and delivers his message...

“General Tankitz awaits you’re arrivals atop the surface, we are ready to march on you’re readiness ma’am!”...

“Thank you captain, we are ready take us up to him”...He bows and salutes raising his elbow and holding it there frozen mid bow, after an extended period of time he does not rise and Maidon bewildered looks to the resolute vanguard for an answer, they keep faced on dead only rolling their eyes in gesture for her to salute him back, she bows down to meet him patting him gently on the head like a good boy...the captain rises unsure before he turns about and leads them onwards to the surface where the Colonian ranks await the long march to battle...

The winding dark path takes them on a large incline with only a dome lit exit to show them the way out, the tunnel echoes with cheers and stomping from above, ranks psyching themselves up with roars and deep humming the insectoid armours used as percussion the beaters their own fists, the slope casts into light like the rising of a new born star as she emerges into the beaming early morning sun and Joins Tankitz WarBound, he stands in full dress and paint, his plating unique that of an exceptional natural quality and of equal rarity, the thorns and metallic effect glisten in orange and black acquired only by felling the beast it grew on, true testament to his status and abilities, his companion a monster beetle solid completely black with a fluorescent rippling green tint decorated and accessorised with extra spikes up front to accompany his deadly nose horn, Maidon approaching his side stands in awe of what she sees before her, legions ranked by purpose ten thousand strong, pikes shields and formations’ a professional military force that makes up in discipline and mentality for their smaller stature, they stand silent in waiting ...

“We are ready lassy, we are with you, just give the command”...Tankitz holds his arm presenting her with the front stage, she confidently walks to the very edge looking over the Men before her, she looks left seeing the main infantry noticing the maze far off to the left behind them, she looks right to the anxious Calvary who ache to get moving riders keeping them steady, she looks down the centre to the unknown masked men who stand completely still with no colours flying all bare chested all is silent... she thunders up her arm and let’s out a war cry that defies any mans present, it erupts in waves of rippling blades and returning emotion...

“WE MAAAAARCH!....NOW!”... The battle drums sound accompanied with tribal horns projected, the entire army front to back about turns in a perfectly synchronized wave and begin marching towards the pebble seas...

“A lady of few words...i like it, Il see you at the front lassie!”...He pulls down the face guard yanking his heavy beast towards the ledge, it braces back on it’s hind legs before unleashing it’s powerful under belly limb, a hopper leg that propels them up and far in a glide to the front of the now forming column, The general enjoying every moment he is proficient at landing in clouds of dust before thudding forward to gain momentum and repeating the launch, Maidon and Airon top the steeds held for them by aids, tiger sized crickets, legs barbed to keep hold of victims white striped with Red bony exterior solid as steel and overdrive serrated mandibles, a binding covering it’s vision Maidon goes to remove it when the aid hastily stops her...

“No you guide it, do not remove the bindings until battle...wait till battle...wait till battle ...wait till battle”...slightly uncomfortable at the aids repeating she quells it with interruption...

“Yes ok Il wait until battle!”...the aid scrambles flustered disarrayed and confused...

“ I’m sorry I do not know what came over me , I didn’t, I” ...the young aid breaks down and runs from the terrace down the slope into the dark underground...

“Now that was strange! What was wrong with him”...remarks and asks Airon...

“I’m not sure, he just broke down then ran away I did nothing” ...Maidon pleas her innocence to being a bad role model...

“Maybe you’re just too attractive for him...inside, we are all like that boy so a little appreciation for facing humiliation when trying to court you would be great”...

“was just moments ago not enough?!”...Maidon states from the moral high ground atop her beast before she dashes off without him, he hastily takes control and get going setting off to join Tankitz at the front of the column, together with one hundred drums beating and ten thousand feet stamping a time, not knowing what they will face they March to the aid of their allies and halt the advance on their Queen...