Tales of Targon: Pantheon
The children of Rakkor gathered around my grandfather's campfire on the outskirts of the village. He did this every night before the Right of Kor was to take place, as he was one of the old warriors who told us of our histories. The children were chattering among themselves as I passed my home-made barley cakes to them. When I finished, I rushed to join my friend Leona. She patted on the old log where that she had saved for me, and I gladly took it. "Thanks," I said. Leona smiled, even back then it was beautiful. "Your welcome, thanks for the cake."
"Quiet, children!" My grandfather said. He took his place on the stump of the tree that had provided all of our seats. The campfire in front of him almost seemed to hide the wrinkles of his face, his bald head gleaming in the light. He leaned on our ancestral spear, as if the weight of his cloak was like that of iron. "Now, the men and woman that will fight tomorrow fight to become true warriors, those that live will earn the rights to the weapons of our ancestors, and those who lose will die in honor and join our ancestors when The Kindred call." My friend squirmed in her seat abit. "You okay?" I whispered. "yeah, I-I'm fine." She must have seen the expression on my face because she then added "I just felt a chill."
"In the beginning" My grandfather continued. "The Dragon of the Stars created the sun. Then, before all other land, Mother Targon was formed, sensing the glory of the sun. She took the power of the sun, and created the trees, the water, the animals, the spirits, and finally our ancestors." He took a pause, to insure that we all payed attention (and possibly to make sure we weren't throwing rocks that one another. "Our ancestors were blessed by Mother Targon, from her womb came our wealth, and the metals that made their weapons, from the woods came their food and their shelter, and from the her magic came the runes that empowered them.
"However, our ancestors grew proud, and began to harm Mother Targon. We stripped her of all of her metals, nearly destroyed her forest and creatures, and the magic was almost entirely lost. She begged the sun to show us the way, so that our ancestors would not destroy the very ground they stood upon. The sun answered, the sun chose one among them to be it's champion. The Champion of the Sun chose those who would follow him and told our ancestors of Mother Targon's plight. He and his disciples showed such great wisdom and strength that our ancestors obey. However, there were those who denied his light, those who worshiped the lesser power of the moon.
"They were the predecessors to the other heretical tribes that would try to drive us off our home. However, just like today they were fought and destroyed by the warriors of Rakkor. The champion, his great works finished, went to the daughter mountain of targon and built the Temple of the Solari, so all of our tribe and our allies would forever have his guidance. The most important would be of Kor the Righteous, he gave us the Rite of Kor to make sure that the sacred rune-weapons would forever be the in the hands of the worthy, and to insure that our supplies be given only to those that would give us the best of their skill in return.
"So know this future warriors of Rakkor, pray to the sun and the ancestors to grant the worthy an honorable battle, and the unworthy an honorable death!" We applauded wildly, all except Leona, who seemed to be somewhat saddened by the news. I suppose it was only natural, after the death of your friends and battle-brothers was never easy. However, in the Rite of Kor, their strength will live on through the rest of the tribe. "Now sons and daughters of Targon, do you have any questions?"
One boy raised his hand. "Yes?" "You talked about the dragon who forged the sun, but what vile force has forged the moon?" My grandfather's eyes narrowed, and despite the roaring fire the mountain air seemed to chill. "No one, it is simply another world that wishes to have the glory of the sun, but wishes to remain in the darkness, thus it chases it 'round the sky, only able to grasp the faintest of it's light. Anymore?"
The group was now silenced, soon, one by one they left. Leona and I said our goodbyes and she was also off into the night, back to the hearth of her home. I helped my father up from his seat and extinguished the fire. "That was amazing Grandfather!" I said as we began to walk back to our home. He chuckled, slowly walking at my side, using the Heartseeker Spear in place of a walking staff. "You never tire of the tales of our ancestors, do you?" "No sir!" I replied cheerfully. "If you hold the tales of your ancestor, Zeonia the Unyielding, you shall always succeed. Your father took it to heart, and he guides you in death as I guide you in life."
We eventually arrived, we went to our respective quarters, said our prayers and went to sleep. I reflected on my noble ancestor Zeonia, and prayed that her blessings would be passed on to me when it came my turn to be in the Rite of Kor.
Two years later, my trial had come. I dressed in the armor of my father, my helmet shadowing my face, the armor protected my chest, but left my arms and legs exposed. I held my spear in my right, my shield protecting my left. I took in a deep breath trying to calm my nerves, I was praying to the sun and the ancestors to guide me, and for my friends. "Pantheon, son of Peris! Odeon, son of Galius! Enter the Pit of Kor!" I looked to the man I would have to kill as we stood up and entered the arena. He was a strong man, twice my size. He had a large Xiphos that would have made the Minotaurs of Targon run in fear. His helmet hid his face, perhaps as a form of intimidation. Though as I could only see his eyes, it failed in that purpose and instead looked patently ridiculous.
We both entered the rocky arena, the audience was looking down at us from the rocky outcropping about ten feet above us, he took to the other half of the arena, and we stared one another down. The smell of blood and death surrounded us, I took a battle stance, preparing to fight or die like a warrior of Rakkor.
"Begin!" The crowd roared and we both began to battle to the last. Although I was smaller, I was far more agile. I dodged his swings, he was clumsy, nervous, and worst of all, a coward. It would have been easy to tire him out, but that would be just as cowardly. I began to fight far more aggressively, he tried to hit me with his blade, but I used the butt of my spear to knock it away, and bashed my shield into his face. From there it was easy, I stabbed my spear into his neck, ending his life and sending him to his ancestors.
I pulled my Spear from his body and raised it in victory. The crowd chanted my name as I went back to the barracks. My friends cheered for me as well, everyone crowding around me, asking how well my opponent fought, and my advice, but I didn’t pay attention as I noticed someone who was not joining in on our celebrating. "Why so melancholy Leona? Nervous?" My friend looked at me with pure sorrow in her eyes and the answer was clear. She was a kind and gentle soul, to see such butchery and to be expected to perform it was simple something she couldn't do.
At any case, in a show of friendship and goodwill, I joined the rest of the adults (after washing the blood and sweat of battle with a towel, of course) up there, waiting for them to call her name. It took an hour, three new warriors were welcomed into the fold of their service to the Solari and Rakkor. Leona was called into the field along with another dear friend of ours, Molik. The poor bastard was never the best of us, but he was quick with a joke and a cheery smile that rivaled Leona. While he was clever enough to be the next Grand Inquisitor, he would not survive this battle because Leona was far stronger. Still, he held himself like any good warrior would, if he had any fear he did not show it.
However, before the fight could even begin Leona thru her weapons to the floor and declared "I concede!" Silence permeated the area. The Guardsmen took her away, for her act of treason she would be executed, but Molik would be able to join us as warriors in dishonor. I tried to leave, however, I was stopped when a man but his hand on my shoulder. "Halt, boy." I turned and found myself face-to-face to an inquisitor. He was tall and thin, a face that seemed to spend more time in books than in the sun. He wore the black robes of his office. His head was covered in a dark cloak that made his green eyes show like emeralds. "That was your friend, wasn't it?" Knowing no one could deny an inquisitor information on pain of death I nodded. "Yes sir." He nodded. "Not to worry lad, the sun shines brightly on her, for she showed the compassion that the sun shows for us." He turned and began to go back to watching the Rite. "Sir, If I may, what is a man of the Inquisition be here?" I asked. "The will of the Solari is not for you to know, warrior of Rakkor. If I were you, I would prepare myself for her execution."
He paused. "Do I need to repeat myself?" "No sir." While I had wished to avoid the death of my friend, I would have to see her last moments. I went back to my home sulken, for while it should have been my day of triumph, it had become the day of Leona's doom.
The next day, we gathered around the tree stump where my grandfather once told us stories. Leona, looking dirtier and more exhausted than any of us after our trial, stood nearby, the executioner holding the bindings on her arms. The sun showed high, not a single cloud in sight. The Inquisitor stood next to the leaders of our tribe, he briefly acknowledge me, and went back to his duty, whatever it actually was. Leona looked at me, and I saw that she was strangely completely calm about this. Perhaps she had already come to terms with her death, but whatever the case the execution had begun. The execution held his axe, approaching my friend slowly. "Before you die, do you have anything to say?" She looked up and nodded. "Only that I stood up for what I believed, and that if this is the price I must pay, so be it." He nodded. and Leona leaned her head in.
I did not say a word, I only balled my fist in anger. I understood why it was necessary, but I could not bare too see her end. But then, it seemed the sun burst and flared and burned our eyes. When our vision returned, the executioner was asleep. Leona was shining even brighter. She seemed just as surprised as we were when the inquisitor run up to her and helped her up. "Praise the Sun, it was true!" He turned to us, a strange smile on his face. "This is the chosen of the sun! She will lead us and our people to glory!"
I bowed down, and the rest followed my example. Leona was speechless, understandable given the circumstances. "Leona, I must take you to the Temple of the Solari," Then, his grin returned. "but first, send word to the villages! This is a cause for celebration!" We rose and cheered. The whole village erupted in joy. The sun had once again chosen one of our own to be it's avatar.
During the celebration, I had the great honor of accompanying Leona around the village. Everyone, from the smallest child to the oldest warrior was smiling. "I always knew there was something special about you Leona." I said as I grabbed a baker's pastry and passed it to her. She looked at me nervously. "Thank you Panth, but I have some bad news." I frowned. "What is it?" "I have to live and train at the temple now, I may not see this place again for some time."
I pounded my right fist on my chest. "Then let us enjoy today at least." She giggled, well at least that got her out of her melancholy. "I agree." That day was a day that I will cherish until I die. I thanked the sun for saving my friend. This was a sign of greatness for all the people of Targon.
"Forward! Give them no ground!" I barked to my battle-brothers and sisters at arms. A brigian of minotaurs were attempting to get through Stanpar's Passing. A narrow rivian that, should they manage to get through, would lead them straight into Rakkor. Of course, thanks to our scouts we managed to get this information straight to us. My team of warriors were prepared to defend the pass to the last man. Aethra and I were fighting back to back, two minotaurs having pin us to the wall. She broke one's skull with her ancestral warhammer. Still, the bastard fighting me managed to survive enough wounds to kill a damn dragon.
Suddenly my opponent bowed down, Erebus, our warhound, taking a large bite out of his left leg. One Thrust between his eyes ended him. "Good job!" Desah, the warhound's master, shouted over the noise of battle. I threw my spear towards his opponent, a female minotaur. She never saw my Heartseeker Spear live up to his name. Only three more were left. "Don't worry, I got this!" Tresdin, cutting up two of them with her glave.
"I would kill for that glaive." Desah said as he notched an arrow to take out the last one. He fired, his weapon's rune magic making the arrow explode when it hit it's target, showering Tresdin in gore. "Dammit Desha! I had him!" He shrugged. "Your fault for standing in the way. They began to bicker. "Quiet, both of you!" They stopped, well at least outwardly. I looked around the battlefield, many dead minotaurs lay scattered around the passage. "Shame they ran out of reinforcement." I said. Damed bandits, they never bring enough. "Alright, let's bring Rakkor it's new trophies!" A cheer went up from my subordinates. We grabbed whatever we could off of their corpses, leaving their bodies behind to make sure they got the message.
We marched back home, carrying their iron weapons to be smelted by our armorsmiths. However, we didn't even get a moment's rest. Waiting for us was Inquisitor Argus, the same man who had taken Leona to the Solari Temple six years ago. "General Pantheon, we have something to discus." I nodded, knowing that something that would involve the Inquisition would be serious. "Go get cleaned off, this will take awhile." My team did as I had ordered. "Follow me."
The Inquisitor lead me into the Rakkorian council headquarters. The Elders sat in a large circle around the hearth, they looked towards the inquisitor expecting grave news, as if they already expected what he would say. "Take a seat Pantheon." I obliged him, sitting next to Elders Vulkus and Reha. "Men and woman of Rakkor, I am afraid that heresy has entered the glorious temple." Gasps arose from everyone, even myself. "Last night, a heretic killed the elders of the Solari Counsel. This heretic is extremely dangerous, and we need the people of Mount Targon to be vigilant." He paused and looked at me. "We also need the best of their men to track her down." I smirked. "Well, calling my team was a good idea. " He nodded. "Of course. You already dealt with the forces of those minotaurs, luckily, the rest of their tribe has told us they were lead astray by this heretic, we are still investigating that area in case any of the other bull-men get any ideas."
"What does this heretic wish to do? " Elder Reha asked. "The fool seems to believe she could rally other heretics against the Solari. Pantheon's team will work with the Sun's Chosen to track her down, along with any other heretic that would dare stand with her. " He shook his head and chuckled. "You are to show them no mercy, however, we need her alive." "May I ask why sir?" I asked, the elders around me mumbling to themselves the same. "I know it is an odd request, however, we need to interrogate her to insure that any groups of heretics she finds will suffer the sun's wrath." "I see..." This would be an interesting quarry, it was probably a good thing Leona would come with us; my apprentices could learn her defensive techniques.
The inquisitor turned to the elders. "Be sober, be vigilant, for the heretic would destroy everything you hold dear." He went into details of her suspected locations, combat style, and anything else he could tell us. When we were finished, he dismissed us. I went to my home, bathed, and began my time-honored hobby of baking, making cookies for my students, myself, and Leona. As I was putting the coals into the oven, I thought what must of changed about Leona in the past few years. Doubtlessly she would be far stronger that she was before. If all was right, this mission should have been trivial, but if the inquisitor was involved... something was off here. As I slid the dough into the oven, I wondered off handedly what was the catch.
It would turn out that it was more complicated than just a catch.
TO BE CONTINUED.
An: Thank you for readin. My reason for writing this is simple. I don't like the new Targon lore. If you enjoy it, that's fine, but for everyone who doesn't like it, I am creating this series. Please give me reviews/critisim in the comments. If you have any questions about what I added to targon, please feel free to ask.
