Mt. Ohm - God Slayer, K. van Marshall [little bear else holmelund minarik .txt] 📗

yuh gon get chew’d up”, snarled Javan, before turning away.

“Im’a tell yuh waat I told Hades... Don't call us no more”, roared Sumatran, his voice reaching the deepest tone. Before turning and joining Javan to make their way towards the exit.

“I'm a Denaar, it's a position… forget it”, sighs the Denaar, before turning to Kumi. “You revealed too much... What's the plan now?”.

“Obvious isn’t it, my Denaar”, said Kumi, his smirk widening to a full grin.

The Denaar had worked with this Knight for a while, and knew him well enough to realize he had no intention of bringing the brothers back alive from the start. Like a child with a new toy, Kumi had yet to grow bored of testing himself in battle. The Denaar sighed once again, and mentally prepared himself for the upcoming battle.

Having left the bar far behind them, the two demons stormed through Undajelly, barging and shoving the hapless zombies out of their way. The scented exit - one of the many exits dotted around the outer district of the state - is their aim. All the brothers had to do was make it to the outskirts through the busy narrow alleys and maze of tunnels.

Leaving Subterra was now their top priority, they had no doubt they could squash the two envoys of Quorth. However, would Quorth only send two men to capture them; that nagging doubt drove their desperate retreat into overdrive. Sumatran had felt uneasy about coming to the meeting in the first place, and after hearing the name of Quorth - a famously vicious country - an impending feeling of doom had enveloped his heart. The demonic pair fancy their strength against anyone, but against a state like Quorth they were right to be careful, especially since they are in the territory of another irrational superpower.

“Cooome on, moove!”, shouted Sumatran, speeding down a narrow tunnel.

Having remembered the lay of the land earlier and scent marking their route into Undajelly, the way out was a lot faster than the way in.

“I’m cummin alrite, ei... we should’a jus mushed em”, said Javan.

“Yeh, an fight de fat Ant, as well as whatever de Quorth slazers ave planned... Let's chip owt ah Subterrah and see wat’s good den”.

Understanding the need for haste Javan followed Sumatran closely; the Kingdom of Quorth’s strength is legendary. A country that has long been the most aggressive in the world, it was not unimaginable to think even they would invade Subterra.  

The demons chose Undajelly as the meeting place hoping the force of Formicidea would stop any reckless ploys, but if Sumatran had learnt anything during his immortal life, it was that Quorth is a kingdom of unknown agendas and unlimited resources. Sending two obviously weak negotiators could be the first sign of bigger, more elaborate and torturous plan.

As they arrived at the exit - the dead end of a long wide tunnel - Javan looked back longingly as his thoughts of survival slipped to regret. He missed having fun. Since becoming notorious the pair had become way too serious.

The two stood before the exit and braced themselves to be drawn through the large round metal hatch. The exits of Subterra have a unique method of ejecting leavers. A large mound of fungi, pulsating a shallow glow, sits on the wall next to the hatch. As Javan slaps the green spongy button, the rusty orange hatch breaks into eight sections and flies open; revealing a dark tunnel and an immense gust. Grasped by the wind, both are dragged into and then up the wind filled tunnel at a spine fusing speed.

Seconds later, a purple fire materializes between the gaps in the hatch, forcing it open as it tries to slam shut.

The Denaar dives through the hatch. Instantly sucked upwards, his purple robes flap around him like a flag in the wind. Swiftly Kumi follows. Ready for action, and in his combat gear; his discarded regal robe is left for a lucky orphan to find and sell.

The Denaar glanced back and shuddered, spotting an all too familiar expression of wickedness slapped across Kumi’s face. In response he prays to every God of War he can think of; maybe then, if he is found to be in one of their favours, he may survive this battle between the demonkind and the demon-minded Kumi.

Chapter 4 - Urha

 

“It’s done!”, bellowed Knoah, throwing three thick yellow tree vines over the cliff edge. The first trial of the day over. Finally we are home. Venzeca you beauty, awed Knoah, turning to gaze into the giant Venzecan jungle behind him. Knoah’s big black eyes went all dewy as if getting reacquainted with a long lost love. Returning mid-bloom season, the vibrant jungle was alive with the chatter of a thousand creatures and an array of multicoloured flowers winking in the afternoon light. Having seen many amazing things during the voyage of Urha, nothing topped this view in Knoah’s eyes. He has always loved the jungle at this time of year.

 

It’s breathtaking. The elders say we hide our civilization from the wicked powers of the world, but really, I think we came here to protect these wonders.

 

Smiling, Knoah turned and walked to the peak of the white cliffs of Montego. Named after the white sandy beaches of their original homeland of Qush; their former nation has been renamed a few times since. Looking over the turquoise ocean he just traversed, he focuses on the distance, where the sea stops at the foot of the sky and the distant red smoke of volcanoes from the lands of Sanmagu waft into the stratosphere.

 

Sabo the world is so big. It’s funny to think we originally fled the main lands out of fear. King Urha had a plan, for sure. Bringing the whole nation from the mainlands evolved us. Compared to the other islands our power is a level above. Our Zulon’s can even match immortals and I’m gonna be one of the greatest, khakhaaa. Better be ready bro I’m gonna blow right pass you. Knoah has always wanted to travel, and although rough, his recent tastes of the world outside Venzeca was sweetly inspiring.

 

Being born into a prestigious race with ancient customs comes with a harsh rite of passage. Urha, named after the wise King who began the Great Undertaking - the major task of migrating the last surviving tribe of Qush to the savage southern island of Venzeca. The Urha is a small taste of their ancestors struggles; a soul searching journey of discovery. The young adults are let out into the world with two experienced elders. Forcefully exposed to the politics, customs and dangers of the southern isles, all to show them their importance to the future of Venzeca.

 

Having expertly climbed the cliff side, Knoah stood proudly, looking down upon the groups mediocre progress. Stretching his athletic arms high above his head, gazing pass them to the cloudless sky,  then swinging them downwards - he tries to shake the feeling of tiredness from his long elastic limbs.

 

It's a good trek to Lonston from here, and time is already short - these lot need to get a move on, thought Knoah. The group had been making steady progress up the cliff, but even with the vines aid were still moving slowly near the halfway point. Maybe it's good we didn’t reach Kenpachi, some of these guys are finished. Look at Saeko, he is lucky he made it back to Venzeca, khahahaa. Just imagining our ancestors long trip all the way from the central continents, kinda makes me wish I was born back in those days, mused Knoah, confident his strength would be valid no matter the era.

 

Shraaaaaarshrashrashraaa!

 

A blood freezing howl bound out from the jungle behind him. Knoah turned quickly to face the overgrown wilds. Scanning either side of the tall brown tree trunk before him, then gazing up to the yellow leafed top. The unidentifiable scream disturbed his calm moment of reflection, drawing his thoughts back to the last and most difficult test of the ritual. A straight trek through the hazardous jungle. Having spent much of his youth ramping through the wilds, the jungle was familiar to Knoah, more so than most. However, the wilds are huge and Venzeca contains more beast's than men; even Knoah had yet to meet many of the perils that wait beyond the thick tree line.

 

If we’re unlucky enough to still be in the jungle by nightfall, death will defo find us, thought Knoah. Even seasoned Zulon’s stay away from the deep wilds at night. Every time those extreme boffins of the Nicohara path step into the jungle, they find another species.

 

The last leg of Urha would soon become a deadly race. Each and every step of the ritual is designed to test the resolve of the fledgeling adults, some crumble, others are humbled, and a few fly to epic heights; evolving themselves and society to another level all at once. Knoah believed he was firmly part of the latter. He had not put any limitations on his future greatness. Easy going, he believed in his ability to do the impossible without needing to worry about the details.

 

Knoah relaxed himself, worrying would not help them get there faster. Rubbing the sweat from his recently shaved head, and down the recent scars parallel to his left eye, he reminisced.

 

Most would be annoyed at the presence of such marks, especially if they had a perfectly handsome face like Knoah, but he proudly wore the wound. A present from a scorgliate during the voyage, it was evidence of his might, or so he was going to tell all the women back home. Obviously he would have to omit that he was embarrassingly caught off guard and dragged head first into the sea by a multi tentacled invertebrate. Although the whole incident was down to Saeko’s slowness, it really made Knoah appreciate the importance of staying focused.

 

“What’s that?”, blurted Knoah, throwing his head back, witnessing something that made him doubt his eyes. Two pure white clouds streaking across the pale pink sky, like comets they left a stardust trail behind them. I am bugging, thought Knoah, before rubbing his eyes hard - the stardust disappeared.

 

Knoah shakes and shudders his long muscular frame, attempting to refresh his tired body further. The climb was gruelling, the sweat trickling down his vibrant dark purple skin was the testament of the physical exertion demanded of him.

 

Making it to the top first was part of the plan. Electing himself the point, he pushed himself as hard as possible - his objective to find strong vines to use as ropes; this has made the climb both safer and easier for the others. Before Desp left them at the bottom of the cliff he told them: ‘Everyone getting home intact is important, when a whole group returns from Urha together alive, they are destined for great things’, and for Knoah, the more prestige acquired through achievements the better.

 

Scanning the climb remaining, Knoah took note of how his little sidekick Saeko was doing. Dead last, but not too tired, yet. But look at this Judor taking his time