By Felix Lunaris

Over 1,000 years ago the strong magical kingdom of Helios began attacking its neighboring nations. One by one it conquered them, until the few remaining formed an alliance against them. For decades both sides fought, land and armies were ruined by war. In the depth of the war a mage with a unique magic set out to stop the Helios Empire. As he time after time thwarted the Helios forces, their Arch Mage searched for a solution. But the Great Mage had magic unlike any before him, he defeated assassins, traps, and even an entire army. In a desperate effort to rid themselves of this threat, many of the highest rank mages formed a dark spell. It would destroy this so-called Great Mage in one fell swoop. On the eve of a major battle the mages set a trap, now all they need do was wait. As the Great Mage began to push their army back they activated their spell. In a blinding flash of light, accompanied by a dull roar, the center of the battlefield where the Great Mage stood was incinerated. As the light cleared all that remained of the Great Mage was a crater the size of a castle. In an effort to prevent any with such magic to rise against them the Arch Mage ordered that the province from which the Mage hailed home be destroyed to the last child. After destroying the Province and bringing the few remaining nations under their control, the Arch Mage began his rule as Grand Emperor Bastion. In the years that have passed, the land and people have suffered. In some areas of the empire the very earth has begun to bleed. But the thing that the Emperor feared most might yet come to pass, as when even the Earth suffers, the magic inside her boils and seethes with anger. What can be done when even the Earth opposes you?

Chapter 1

“Get up Marrok! Get up!”

Someone begins to shake me and I slowly open my eyes.

“Get up, we’ve got to leave. The Empire has ordered that our village be destroyed for supporting the Insurrectionists. They will be here soon. Gather some clothes, quickly!” I watch as my mother rushes out of the room.

‘Simon is it true? Are they coming?’ I ask to my closest friend.

‘Yes Marrok, the other humans are coming. Do as your mother instructed.’ he answers as he stands and stretches in the corner.

Simon is a beautiful leopard spotted cat. Slightly larger than a normal cat, he is unique in these parts of the country.

I get up and throw on some trousers and a shirt before grabbing a few more pairs of each and stuffing them into a bag hanging by my door.

“Marrok! We need to go now! The children are going out on the first transport.” My father says as he marches down the hall with his sword and bow.

“Yes father, im ready to go.” I say as i enter the hall with Simon at my feet.

Suddenly we hear a crashing sound and several screams. As I start running to the front room my father yells at me.
“Get to the transport station. Dont look back Marrok just run!”

I throw open the door and start to run down the street, we only live a few blocks from the station, so it wont take long to reach it. As im running i hear thunder and screams behind me and suddenly as the whole world goes white im lifted up and thrown. as i land hard on the ground i cant move from the pain. I think my arm is broken, 0I think to my self as i try to roll over. I also feel heat coming from behind me.

‘Marrok, its too late. They’ve reached the town. The magic ones are destroying every building.You need to get to the creek, we can swim down it to the river.”

‘Simon, i cant move my arm. I need to find my mother, she can fix it.”

‘Im sorry Marrok, but you cant go back. If they find you they will kill you as surely as they killed everyone else.’

I stood up and stumbled to a nearby wall. ‘Simon i believe youre right. My mother and father will meet us later, they wouldnt leave me, would they?’

‘You know the answer as well as i do, now move, we have to go now. I hear them approaching”

Hes right, now that I focus i can hear screaming mixed with the clang of clashing swords.

‘Youre right, to the creek then’ i say as i turned and started jogging towards the creek that runs through the outskirts of town.

“Stop right there young one. I want to play!” yells a black armored man as he kicks me in the side.
Where did he even come from? He wasnt here a second ago. I think as i try to lift myself back to my feet.

“Ah so a young one with fight in him. perfect, I was looking for some fun tonight!” says the armored man as he stalks closer to me.
“I wont even use my sword on you boy, ill kill you with my bare hands!”

He lunges at me as i stumble and trip backwards, then he stops and screams in rage as Simon leaps onto his back
‘Run Marrok! ill hold him off to buy you some time. Now move boy, you dont understand how important you are!’

‘No Simon, i wont leave you to be butchered!’ i yell at him as i stand and draw my dagger

The man turns to me with a gleam in his eye, “So boy you wish to draw a weapon? Well come on then lets see what youre made of!” he jumps at me reaching for the dagger

Simon leaps on the man tearing into him with his claws and teeth
‘Boy run!!! You must leave!’ he yells at me as the man throws him off while drawing his sword

‘Simon i cant leave you!’

‘Yes, you can and must. I will anger him enough for you to escape while he focuses on me. Now go!’ he leaps at the man

I turn as tears begin to fall from my eyes,’I’ll be waiting for you, at the spot where we met Simon’ i yell as i begin running

‘Dont wait for me Marrok. You know as well as i, what will happen. You are special, never think anything different.’

As i run down a side road i see the glint of light on the water. Reaching the shore i dont slow down, i run as far as i can and dive in. I try to swim, but my arm hurts too much, and the current is strong. I stop struggling and let the current take me.
—-
‘At least he made it’ thinks Simon as he strikes the mans face again.

Suddenly he feels tremendous pain and yowls in rage.

“Got cha ya little beast! Now where did that boy go?” says the armored man as he turn his back on the cat to search for the boy.
——
I gasp in pain as my heart feels like its been torn.

‘Simon?’

‘Simon?!’

“Marrok, i will not see you again my friend. Remember who you are, you must remember who you are my boy….”

‘Simon? Simon?’

‘Simon, dont leave me!!!!’

I feel intense pain and rage, why? Why would they do this? Our village never did anything. Those animals! No the’re not animals the’re monsters! Why did they do this? Why did my Simon have to leave me? Deep inside I feel something hot and cold, both solid and flowing. I cant describe it. I just reached for it. I feel pain, lots of pain, everywhere on my body. then I hear a voice.

“To you I grant my power. The loss and love you feel, the hate and anger. They speak to me, the same as mine. I grant you the power that was long ago lost. Your loss is mine and your pain is mine, become one with me and we will avenge those we have lost!’

‘Who are you?’ i ask as the pain dulls a bit.

‘I am Gaia. your home. The home of every living being on this world. you share the pain i have felt for generations. I offer you a way to end this pain. Not just for you but for future generations. Become a part of me, let my power flow through you. Few have the ability you poses, but you are the descendant of the Great Mage, the one who tried to help me before. You share the pain of loss as I do. They took him from me. But with your help we can put a stop to their relentless destruction of life. I ask you now Marrok. Will you be my Champion?’

‘I have lost everything. They’ve taken my family and my familiar from me. I am a broken soul in a broken body Gaia. I will do what ever is necessary to make them pay for their actions!’

‘You have accepted something which will change your life forever. I must apologize now for the pain you must go through to seal the pact. I will aid you as much as I can in your journey, but I cannot intervene personally. You will have a power no one as seen in a thousand years. But for a time you will be alone. I cannot allow them to find you. So I will lock away who you are. You will learn in time and be given back your memory. But for now you must remain hidden. Goodbye, Marrok.’

I look at the stars as the pain begins anew. It is worse than anything ive ever felt. I scream as a bolt of lightning hits my chest. As the blackness begins to claim me, I hear my name repeated over and over.
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‘And so it begins my champion. We will right the wrongs this world has suffered in the last century. But i wonder at what cost?’

‘I will watch over him Gaia. He has the spirit of a feline anyway, and with the new form he now has he will become more than you can imagine in time.’

‘Felix. I did not think the Gods would care about my Champion. The last one I chose was ignored and degraded.” answers Gaia with a hint of sadness.

‘We regret that more than you know. But this one is special to me as well as you. You see his soul is that of a great Tiger. But the body he was given in life was a mistake that has now turned into a blessing. Have you never wondered why he had such an ability my dear? To talk to Feline kin is an ability few humans have ever had.’

‘Yes brother. Just as unique as the ability to talk to Canine kin.’

‘Lunaris, my brother what brings you to Gaias abode?’

‘I have come for the same reason as you. But first’ he turns to Gaia ‘Gaia i bid you hello. I wish to have permission to grant your Champion a gift.’

‘And what gift would that be Lunaris?’

‘The ability to speak to Canine kin.’ he replies looking at her unconscious champion, or rather the astral image of him.

‘Brother, no mortal man in a millennium has had both of our abilities.’ says Felix as his tail twitches in curiosity.

‘True. but in these times, when animal kin suffers as much as the Earth and man kind, I believe its necessary for a champion to arise for all peoples not just Man.’

‘Grant him your gift, Lunaris. But he will need guidance and protection from both of you. I am not yet ready,nor strong enough and neither is he, to begin the Great Quest I have given him.’

‘Felix, I believe we should create a new body for him. One that is both Feline and Canine. We will call it’ he stops as Gaia interrupts him.

‘Do not call it anything for now. His only memories will be his name and the martial combat his mentors have taught him.’ she says as she looks at the image of her Champion

‘As you wish Gaia’ both say as they turn to the image.

‘When he awakes he will be more different than any before him. Part Man, part Feline, and part Canine. He will be a Champion of Nature. Brother I will provide a Feline as a guide to help him. I suggest you do the same. i will not make him a familiar, as a Champion of Nature all Felines and Canines will be as close to him as one.’ says Felix as he looks at his brother.

‘I will provide a Canine to aid him as well. Let us go brother. Gaia we will meet again.’says Lunaris as he turns to leave.

‘I look forward to it.’ she says as she begins to send her Champion back to the mortal realm.

‘Fare well my Champion. may your guides and your heart steer you well.’
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