Twins’ Tale
By: Justin Kennedy
Volume I
The War
Irish Realm-2100 hours
“Aye, dee, di, dee, di, dee, di, dee, di…”
“Geeze, I wish they would stop singing that irritating song!!!” Kail’k roared in vicious rage, making half of the pub wet themselves in fear.
“Please, calm down Kail’k!” K’liak said in a calm yet nervous voice.
“Fine, just make them shut up!!” Kail’k said in an irritated tone.
“Sorry, I can’t make them,” K’liak responded.
As the singing continued, the twins heard a faint yet familiar droning sound. Slowly it became stronger and stronger. Finally, it stopped. Then a loud clap of thunder tore through the Realm and the northern wall of the pub disappeared in an explosion of sound sending Kail’k and K’liak tumbling into the pubs portal….
Realm of War-2200 hours
Kail’k and K’liak flew out into the battlefield only able to collect enough of their wits to shift and land safely, during a flight of arrows which narrowly misses them.
“Well, I guess we’d better find another place to hide from the Archael!!!” Kail’k roared making half a dozen troops start running in fear.
“It’s no use to hide nay more, we need to stand and fight now and this is the best realm for it.” K’liak said wearily.
“Fine, but first lets make two armies, one for you one for me. That way we stand a chance.” Kail’k said, “I’ll go to the shadow realms.”
“I’ll go to the light realms.”
“Let’s go!”
Vampire Realm – 2400 hours
“Just a few more for my vampire legions,” Kail’k muttered not too quietly.
“Can I help you with your army Lord?” Petru the esophager questioned.
“Yes, you can, also my name is Kail’k,” Kail’k said
“Ok, you have my entire clan in your army” Petru replied enthusiastically.
Angelic Realm-2400 hours
“Of course I’ll join your army.” Ivan said swiftly.
“Ok, thanks,” K’liak said, “now, to the Realm of War!”
Realm of War-1200 hours
The battle clashed for many days, the Archael raging out of their fortresses in waves, with the twins’ armies holding them down.
“K’liak send in the air troops!” Kail’k roared over the din of the battle.
“Ok! Air troops move out!”
Archael fortress-1300 hours
“General Malo!”
“What!”
“We are the last fortress and the twins have breached the outer wall!”
“What!” Malo roared with animalistic rage, “Fine, summon the Nurukai.”
“Yes, sir!”
Outer Bailey-1700 hours
“They have a Nurukai!” Kail’k roared, “One thing to do now bring me Fire’s Wrath.”
“Yes, sir!” Petru responded.
1800 hours
Kail’k and K’liak clashed tirelessly deep into the night, with the sound of steel ringing through the blood stained air, and the Nurukai fighting back just as viciously.
“Its times like this that really make me mad!” Kail’k roared over the beast’s furious howls of rage.
Realm of War-100 hours
“Finally, we defeated the Nurukai!” K’liak said joyously.
“Now, we can destroy the Archael.” Kail’k said in a spiteful tone.
Epilogue
Upon entering the chamber of the last of the Archael, the twins headed straight for Malo with rage and bloodlust in their eyes.
“Today your treachery ends Malo you pig-faced scum of the earth!” Kail’k roared in a roar of bestial fury.
“Repent! It is the only way to save your self from the Labyrinth!” K’liak warned with a slight hint of mercy.
Brother! Malo deserves the labyrinth! Kail’k mind spoke to his brother.
No one deserves it any more! Not since the last time I was there… The time I saved you! K’liak mind spoke back.
Suddenly, a rather enraged assassin garbed person charged into the chamber. “Leave him! He’s mine to kill! It is only fair.” He roared, “By the law of the Zurkai, an eye for an eye an ear for an ear, you are sentenced to death by my blade! Just as you killed my mother, father, and the rest of my family I will kill you!”
“Wait! Who are you to know of General Malo?” K’liak questioned.
“I am the lone survivor of his massacre! The only one of my village! I am Raikell the Demon of Darts!” Raikell returned in a vicious bark.
“Have your way then!” Kail’k said in a rather reproachful tone.
Two days later Raikell explained what had happened to him and his village. Then out of nowhere came two of the Yukar…
Volume II
The Battle
The Yukar roared something in an unintelligible language, then did the equivalent of a “duh!” gesture to himself and spoke in Kail’k and K’liak’s language.
“Where do you come from children of shadows and of light?” One asked in a suspicious tone.
“We never knew either of our parents. So we don’t know where we came from!” Kail’k spat out sourly.
“Its better if you don’t bring up that topic with Kail’k. He was the one that no one cared for because of the fact that he is part demon, vampire, wraith, and many other things. I am the only one who cared about him.” K’liak said wearily.
“Let us leave the underlings alone they need to cleanse their minds after the killing they took part in.” The other Yukar said.
“Wait! I feel a presence!” The one exclaimed. “It’s our failed experiment Yurak! He was supposed to be an ultimate life form but he turned on us!”
“I turned on you because you wanted to kill me and slice my insides up to see what made me tick!” a voice roared from somewhere in the chamber.
After a long battle the Yukar managed to defeat Yurak, until Kail’k, K’liak, and Raikell stepped in.
“I will not let you do this! You are worse than the Archael were!” K’liak roared in a righteous fury holding his bow back to its limits magic crackling around the arrow nocked in it. Kail’k had his great sword out, magic swirled around it in a cyclone of flaming lightning.
“You dare defy us?” The Yukar asked. “Fine then you shall die!”
K’liak’s arrow flew off the bow string and multiplied by one-thousand fold into a rain of arrows that combined with a hail of darts that were thrown from everywhere at once by Raikell. In the meantime Kail’k was wailing on the closest Yukar, bloodlust making him all the stronger and more vicious.
“Thank-you for saving my life, I am forever in your debt.” Yurak said humbly as he bowed so deep his head touched the ground.
“It was the right thing to do. We would have done it for any one.” K’liak stated in a serene voice.
“Actually part forty-two of the law of the Zurkai says ‘When you can choose between making a friend and making an enemy, make the friend!’ so I would have helped you anyway.” Raikell said enthusiastically.
“Speak for yourselves; I would have just killed all three of them!” Kail’k said, “Less of a problem of them betraying you!”
Yukar Realm – Council Chamber
“The underlings have defeated our two best warriors!” The High Chancellor screamed in an enraged roar.
“We must hunt them and their armies!” The War Advisor roared.
“They will surely come to kill us if we let them stand!” The Defense Advisor screamed in fear.
“Silence fools!” The Prophet exclaimed over them while falling into a trance, “The Shadowed and Shining souls shall destroy the Yukar. For as long as the Yukar live they will be under the constant threat of death. Unless they cannot or will not fight then the Yukar will hit a golden age of prosperity!” The Prophet then fainted from exhaustion.
Realm of War – Battlegrounds
“General Kail’k! We have spotted a large army of people thrice the size of humans marching toward us!” Petru exclaimed.
“Prepare our defenses!” Kail’k roared in surprised fury.
After weeks of hurling insults and curses alike over the fortress walls the Yukar stormed the fortress.
“K’liak! You must rain arrows down upon them with your archers!” Kail’k yelled loud enough so K’liak could hear him.
“Yes Kail’k! Raikell, use your darts!” K’liak ordered.
“I have a better idea! I’ll hurl a raging inferno upon them!” Seikell argued.
“The Yukar will regret ever creating me!” Yurak roared his battle cry while throwing massive bolts of raw energy at the Yukar.
“This will earn me a place in Kailon!” Raikell cried in a roar of death cries around him.
Epilogue
After a battle on a titanic scale the ground became red with the blood of the fallen. The true heroes who had risked everything had died protecting those who did what was right.
The tombs dug were innumerable among the buried were Petru and Ivan, loyal followers of the twins to the end.
“They will pay! They will suffer in the labyrinth for what they have done!” Kail’k cried out in primal fury.
“Yes brother they do deserve the labyrinth! The Yukar will suffer for an eternity!” K’liak roared in a vicious tone that was much unlike him…
Volume III
The Hunt
Enraged at losing two of their best comrades, the twins’ group decided to hunt down every last one of the Yukar. They soon became known as The Hunters because of the blood that remained on the ground.
“We must defend ourselves!” The Defense Advisor cried out.
“You fool! Do you not remember the prophecy I gave? The Shadowed and Shining souls shall destroy the Yukar. For as long as the Yukar live they will be under the constant threat of death. Unless they cannot or will not fight then the Yukar will hit a golden age of prosperity! You made them want to!”
“We were trying to make it so that they couldn’t fight, but now look at us; we are down to one-hundred living, and innumerable dead.” The High Chancellor grieved.
“Die! You will suffer a doomed eternity in the labyrinth!” Kail’k roared in rage as he slew three Yukar assassins leaving the rest to K’liak, Raikell, and Yurak.
“Insolent fools! Why are you trying to kill the gods?” a voice cried out from somewhere in the woods.
“Who are you? Show yourself coward!” Kail’k roared over the death cries of the Yukar.
“I am Seikell, the snake!” the voice boomed, and then a small serpent like figure dropped from the trees.
“We aren’t trying to kill gods! We are killing false gods, those who would kill us!” K’liak screamed as he killed the last of the Yukar assassins.
“Prove they are false gods!” Seikell screeched.
“They’re dead aren’t they?” Raikell observed.
“You have to admit he’s got a point.” Yurak stated bluntly.
“Ok, you have convinced me then.” Seikell hissed.
“Will you help us hunt them?” Raikell questioned.
“What’s in it for me?” responded Seikell.
“Killing.” Kail’k said twice as bluntly as Yurak.
“Twenty of us are left, including the twenty in this room.” The Grand Chancellor moaned.
“Allow us to make it smaller for you then!” Kail’k’s voice boomed out of nowhere.
“No! We are doomed!” screeched the Defense Advisor before an arrow pierced his throat.
“Kill the Yukar! Leave the Grand Chancellor to me!” Yurak roared, “I’ll make you regret creating me!”
Yurak charged through the Yukar towards the Grand Chancellor; heaving his sword in all directions, slicing open Yukar in all sorts of areas.
“Leave some for me Yurak!” Kail’k cried.
Epilogue
After Yurak beheaded the Grand Chancellor the ground began to tremble.
“Oh no! We have to get out of the Realms and get to another rift!” K’liak cried out in dismay, “The Realms are collapsing!”
Volume IV
The Escape
After getting to the exit of the Realms the Hunters jumped through the rift gate hoping that they would arrive in one piece in another rift…
“Who and what are they?” Enur asked curiously.
“I think they’re humans, except for the two Halflings.” Failon said in a hushed tone so she wouldn’t wake the group of people just in front of the rift gate.
“Ugh, where am I?” Kail’k groaned as he came to, “What in the labyrinth happened?”
“You weren’t prepared for the rift gate’s transportation methods. Don’t worry it happens to everyone.” A mysterious girl with glowing, mystic looking tattoos on her arms and face said.
“Who are you?” Kail’k replied.
“I am Failon. Who are you?” Failon requested.
“I am Kail’k, one of the killers of the last twenty Yukar.” Kail’k responded.
“Oh, what a shame they’re dead now. We were getting a good profit from the bribes they gave us not to attack them.”
“Well, you can’t attack the Realms now; they’re being torn asunder as we speak.”
“Ah, one of them is awake!” someone said from a doorway.
“Who are you?” Kail’k questioned with a suspicious tone.
“Please, forgive me for not thinking of telling you before; I am Enur Failon’s older brother.” Enur stated in a majestic bow…
After Enur and Failon explained everything to Kail’k, he felt as if he were just waking up. This meant his brother was coming to now and by his best guess so were the others…
“Ok, here’s the deal; the Runi are in a massive civil war and would like our help turning the tides of battle in their favor; then they will help us establish credible identities for ourselves.” Kail’k explained to everyone.
Epilogue
After everyone got back to good fighting shape; the Hunters went to the battle field to fight in the war…
Volume V
The Runic War
As bullets flew through the air, Shokar ran in a vicious charge at the receding army of UFOR. He himself was one of the rebels, and also the biggest thorn in the UFOR’s side.
He noticed a slight unconscious figure lying on the ground and threw an inferno at the rest of his oppressors. He picked up the girl and carried her to the nearest tent…
“Put her on this cot.” K’liak said to the figure carrying the girl.
“Okay.” He said and lay her down on the cot.
“Uhn, where am I?” she groaned as she sat up.
“Oh good, you’re awake.” K’liak said, “I am K’liak and this young man who carried you here is… uhhh.”
“Shokar.”
“I’m Mikkie!” She exclaimed.
“I have to go help on the battlefront again, I feel it. Shokar, you stay here and stand guard.” K’liak said.
“Yes, Sir!”
K’liak left the tent and as Mikkie looked around at her surroundings she noticed someone coming in.
“I thought you had to work at the battlefront K’liak!” She exclaimed.
“Wha-“
“Yeah that’s right you just left do you like me?”
“But-“
“Ya know what? You should get back to the frontlines!”
“OK! That’s enough! I am not K’liak! I am his older brother Kail’k!”
“Are you two twins?”
“No, we’re look-alikes”
“Oh, then how come you look the same?”
“Ugh, ever heard of sarcasm?”
“Oh, I knew that. Ya know you’re kinda cute!”
“I’m gone!” Kail’k yelled as he bolted through the exit…
“Whew! That was close!” Kail’k managed to gasp between breaths of air.
“Why were you running from me?”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!” Kail’k cried out as he ran as fast as he could to get away from the girl who was chasing him.
Brother! Help me! This cat lady is chasing me! And she’s interested in me! No one is ever interested in me! Kail’k mind spoke to his brother.
Then you should savor it! K’liak thought back. Oh yeah! Her name is Mikkie!
Epilogue
Kail’k slowly walked over the hill to his tent; spears and arrows protruding form his back.
“Get him some medical attention now!” yelled one of the field doctors.
“It’s over. We won.” Kail’k said in a somewhat dream like voice.
“This might hurt.” A field doctor said as he tore one of the spears out of Kail’k’s back…
Volume VI
Mikkie vs. Failon
“No! He’s my boyfriend!”
“No! Mine!”
“Uhhhhh. I’ll–“
“Butt out!”
“Hey wha–“
“Shhhh they’re fighting over me K’liak!” Kail’k whispered urgently.
“Ooooh who drew blood first?” K’liak asked.
“Neither, they’re in the word process now. Never mind Mikkie drew first blood!” Kail’k whispered excitedly.
“You get too much joy out of this, Kail’k!” K’liak exclaimed.
“Rrrreeoooww! Back off!” Mikkie hissed as she clawed at Failon.
“Not until you admit he likes me most!” Failon screamed while pulling Mikkie’s hair.
Mikkie hissed and spat as she clawed Failon off of her. “He’s mine!”
“Never!” Failon screeched as the kicked Mikkie.
Mikkie dodged and countered Failon’s kick with a claw at her face. “Give up Failon!”
“Fine I surrender!” Failon cried as she ran off trying to heal her face.
Epilogue
“Uh, what are you doing?” Kail’k asked Mikkie as he backed away from her, and then bumped into a wall. “No! Get back!”
As Mikkie kissed an ungrateful Kail’k she decided she would keep Failon away from him forever…
Volume VII
The Initiation
“Ok, here is how you get into the Hunters, first hunt and kill as many of any tyrannical or godlike races on your realm or planet, second you have twenty days to kill as many as you can. Got it?” Raikell explained to Mikkie, Failon, Shokar, and Enur.
“Yeah, but there are no tyrannical or godlike beings on this planet. I killed the last one of them.” Enur stated.
“I killed a bunch of them too!” Mikkie exclaimed.
“I eradicated some also.” Failon stated serenely.
“Ok, you’re already in then.” K’liak said.
“Wait! What about Shokar?” Raikell questioned.
“I have.” Shokar stated blankly.
“We must join them.”
“But how?”
“Shhh, they’re saying something. Wait! Where’s the little one?”
“Hey, what are you two doing?”
“Aaaaagh!”
“Alright who’s there?” Kail’k questioned threateningly…
“I am Chikana Saria. You can call me Saria though.” One of the two eavesdroppers said.
“I’m Hoy-lii!” the other said.
“Ok.” Kail’k said then turned to his brother. “They heard too much! They must join or die!”
“We can hear you, ya know!” Saria said.
“We’d love to join your group!” Hoy-lii exclaimed.
“Killed any tyrannical or godlike beings?” Seikell hissed.
“Yeah!” Saria exclaimed.
“Of course! Why wouldn’t we have?” Hoy-lii responded.
“Ok, you’re in.” Yurak said…
Epilogue
The Hunters had now grown to ten strong. Now, they were off to fight tyranny…
Chapter VIII
The Next Rift
“You’ll never catch me like that!” a voiced cried in the distance.
Shokar stepped in front of someone who was running at a very high speed.
“Ooof!”
“No! they’re gonna catch me now!” the person said as two gang members came around the corner.
“Let this innocent be!” Shokar roared in a furnace blast of a voice.
“Fine you’ll bite the dust too! Fire at them now!”
Suddenly the odd weapons the two were holding exploded and the hunted one was holding an odd object in front of him…
“Thanks for helping!” K’liak said as he slapped the person on the back.
“You’re welcome! My name is Coyon, but most call me Baquol because of my accuracy.” Coyon said in a joyful tone.
“What kind of weapon is that?” Kail’k asked in a grunt.
“It’s a pistol. Its name is Heirok, named after the weapon of my ancestor Baquol who is this Realm’s greatest hero.” Coyon said.
“Is there anything stronger?” Kail’k asked an odd tone of glee rising.
“You mean like a shotgun?” Coyon asked.
“Yeah, whatever that is.”
“You’re not from here, are you?”
“Nope most of us are from the Yukar rift.”
“Oh, sorry about it getting destroyed.”
“Actually don’t be. It’s mine, K’liak’s, Seikell’s, and Raikell’s fault. We killed all of the Yukar.”
“You mean you’re the God Hunters?”
“No we’re the Hunters.”
“No you’re name was changed because your entire group is made up of godlike being hunters.”
“Yeah, and?” Shokar said.
“Well– wait a second you look familiar.” Coyon said. “I think I’ve seen you before.”
“Yeah.” Shokar said.
“Oh my god! You two look almost exactly alike!” Raikell screamed.
“By the labyrinth we do!” Coyon exclaimed…
Epilogue
“So have you killed any godlike beings?” Seikell hissed.
“Yes, after all I hunt criminals and most are godlike.” Coyon said.
“Then you’re in!” Mikkie exclaimed.
Volume IX
Realm of Seas
“Help I’m drowning!” a voice yelled just off the shore.
“Hang on!” Enur roared as he sprinted toward the water taking off his outer clothing until only a pair of rune covered shorts was left. Enur dived into the water and swam while muttering in runic trying to calm the water so he could find the victim.
“Help!” the voice sounded just a little further now.
Enur swam harder…
As Enur dragged an odd looking humanoid on to the shore Failon started to cast healing spells.
“Ugh.” The humanoid coughed as he spat up water. “Thanks I may be an Izorii but I can’t swim, and I’m allergic to water, and I’m afraid of liquid. Oh yeah my name is Noxus.” He stated.
“Well its good to see you alive and well, but how are you allergic to water? You breathe water, produce water, and live in water!” Coyon said in a confused tone.
“Plus, I need my glasses outside of water.” Noxus said feeling around in his clothes trying to find his glasses. “Oh no! They must have fallen out of my pocket while in the water!”
“I’ll find them.” Seikell hissed as he started slithering toward the water…
“Thank you very much!” Noxus said as he put his glasses on.
“You’re welcome.” Seikell said as he slithered to a nice looking boulder to snooze on.
“So how’d you get out there?” Raikell asked while rifling through an unsuspecting merchant’s pockets.
“Well… I don’t know.” Noxus stated. “All I know is that one moment I was standing in an arena fighting for my life, and the next I was drowning.”
“Someone must have not wanted you to win. So they used a transportation spell to drop you in the ocean.” Enur said. “I hate dishonorable people like that.”
“Hey, guys! I found something!” Raikell shrieked in a shrill tone of excitement.
“Raikell stop rifling through merchants’ pockets like that!” Saria said. “You’re gonna get caught and thrown into jail!”
“Yeah!” Hoy-lii joined in…
“This should teach you to dig through merchants’ pockets!”
Raikell walked around his new ‘room’ and examined it. One window, five bars on it, a barred door, a small mouse hole, curtains, and stone walls to either side.
“Yup, escaping is gonna be hard this time. NOT!” Raikell laughed to himself. After all escaping was a simple matter of fitting through a mouse hole or sliding past the half foot wide space between the bars. Which Raikell could easily do…
“Think we should bust him out?” Saria asked.
“Nah, he’s an escape artist.” Hoy-lii said.
“HI!” Raikell roared in their ears, “thought I was still in there, huh? Well you were wrong. I slipped through the bars easily. I mean the bars were meant for humans and dwarves, not Halflings.”
Epilogue
The party awoke to find themselves surrounded by water beings.
Leave! Leave while we let you live! Firion! You will drown! The voices sounded like rivers and streams raging out of their banks.
“Never! I will keep my peoples’ legacy!” Shokar roared sounding like a furnace blast. “I am the last of my people! I killed them all in a burning inferno of rage.”
“The Firion! They were destroyed years ago!” Enur murmured to himself.
“I killed them all and my uncle just because he killed my father!” Shokar screamed as flames of grey swirled around. “And Hydrosians! I will kill you all!”
Shokar charged forth flames lancing towards the Hydrosians. “Stop!” Kail’k roared as he jumped in Shokar’s way. “This isn’t the way friend. This is the path to a bitter pit in hell. One which I am damned to go to no matter the repentance I pay. Just because of who I am. Don’t join me there.”
“I’ve become so numb. The rage, the hatred…” Shokar trailed off revisiting the ghosts of his past…
Volume X
Firion
“Daddy!” Shokar cried with his three year old throat.
“Your ‘daddy’ is dead little boy, just as you will be!” His uncle roared with laughter.
“Daddy!” Shokar sobbed. Flames of blue cold to the touch surrounded him as he cried in rage and a burning inferno surrounded him. He lashed out at his uncle with flames of wrath.
“Little brat! I will kill you!” As uncle rose his hand, in it formed a flaming whirlwind.
“You killed him bastard! You killed daddy!” Shokar screamed as flames shot everywhere destroying the house and killing many.
Flames danced through the night, as if the winds of hell were spewing forth. Shokar lanced flames in all direction killing anyone in his way, until he killed his uncle in a flaming hellfire and only cinders remained.
Shokar was so disturbed and distraught by his rage that he started to cry tears of blood…
Epilogue
“I’m so numb. Friends save me please…” Shokar said as tears of blood poured from him. “Send me to hell please! I can’t stand what I did anymore! Kill me!”
“No.” Kail’k said. “I will not send you to hell. I will not kill you unless you repent and can go to heaven.”
“Friend please don’t ask us this.” K’liak said. “We don’t want you to die please.”
We will do it for you Firion! The Hydrosians burbled as one.
“Never.” Shokar whispered. “I will repent. I will live.”
Firion: Fear – ee – on
Hydrosian: Hi – dro – szia – n
Kiari: Key – are – ee
Kiara: Key – are – a
Shokar’s Guilt
“Daddy!” Shokar cried in his three year old throat.
“Your ‘daddy’ is dead little boy. Just as you will be!” His uncle roared with laughter.
“Daddy!” Shokar sobbed. Flames of blue cold to the touch surrounded him as he cried in rage and a burning inferno surrounded him. He lashed out at his uncle with flames of wrath.
“Little brat! I will kill you!” As uncle raised his hand, in it formed a flaming whirlwind.
“You killed him bastard! You killed daddy!” Shokar screamed as flames shot everywhere destroying the house and killing many.
Flames danced through the night, as if the winds of hell were spewing forth. Shokar lanced flames in all direction killing anyone in his way, until he killed his uncle in a flaming hellfire and only cinders remained.
Shokar was so disturbed and distraught by his rage that he started to cry tears of blood…
