We never really understood how it all started; we just knew it did, some where in the history of the tribe there were stories of the first meeting and the movements that followed. Though now they were lost with the fall of our greatest lord these stories he had told would turn to forgotten whispers, some would tell them but words would change and things would twist in the wind. No one was ever ready for what was to come next.

The light pushed through the cracks in the ramshackle defences we had placed up around the camp. Maybe today was the day it would end, maybe today they would come for us and remove what was left of the life around us.

Darkness came, the stars twinkled above and still no sign, what had happened, they had been pushing on our defences for days taken so many lives from with in our tribe, men, women even the children were not safe from there weapons.

Dawn broke and light once more pushed through the pillars and posts containing out huddled village, its not dawn there is no fire in the sky. The forest ablaze what is happening. Thoughts racing through every villagers head, quick grab what you can and make for the safety of the caves, clamber climb get away from what is coming towards us, move run get free, grab families and escape into the night as fast as possible. Have we been forsaken to this life this destruction.

“Syura, look look to the sky, the gods must be angry tonight”

“Why do you say that father, what do you see coming this way” Syura’s head turned sky wards. Her eyes catching the sight of the fire balls cracking through the evening light.

“SYURA RUN” panic in the cry “RUN FOR THE CAVERAN ENTRANCE”

Syura threw her bronze scythe to the ground breaking into a flat out run as she did so, her feet struggling to find traction on the tended field. She would not stop she would not falter she must reach the safety of the mountain with the comforts of home and friends, her family, they must be warned to return to the sanctuary of the great hall and wait for the Gods to finish there war of the havens.

Crashing into the edge of the giant Oaken door which held the outside at bay from the tunnel networks and darkness of the mines she spun her self seeing her father fall as giant globules of molten rock crashed into the field. Seeing her father in distress she turned to help, moving as swiftly as she could, but it was for naught as the largest of this rocks came crashing into the ground, stripping the tree’s and fields as it groves the landed it touched. The ground shook with the force of the mightiest earth quakes.

The dust settled the world gently rested once more, in the destruction the farm land was destroyed, the door cracked and broken. The rock began to move and rise.

The clearance was going well, soon there would be enough room for the new hall, the forest was fighting back but that was expected from the wilds of this region. It was known that the forest should be worked with and not against. This would give them greater yields of food and resources if they worked with the forest and not against it.

With time they would have there meeting hall, it was most unusual for them to build on the ground but it was decided they needed a structure that could be seen and not hidden with in the tree’s. Three cycles has passed since they began this project, it was through to be a good design and would allow the other villages to trade for resources and supplies. Which in turn would stop the outer tribes from destroying there lands.

The night was cold, the guards stood in there posts watching for animals and creatures that would hard the settlement. It had been a few hours now since the stars had burst into flames and moved in the sky. They had not worried about this as it was on the horizon but now there was some thing moving very fast towards the new hall.

With speed the guards moved, from there look out to the large warning bell. The clangs rang out across the village, dragging the inhabitants from there slumber into action. With in minutes they had all gathered to watch this mysterious mass falling from the sky.
The roof of the hall splintered and shattered as this indescribable mass contacted the peak of the roof and fell to the floor below. Chunks of granite and marble exploded outwards through the stone walls and splintered wooden roof.

All the onlookers picked up speed and shimmied down ropes and ladders, grabbed trees and flung them selves down to find out what had hit with such force.

In side lying with in a crater of mangled stone and wood lay a body, which was gradually starting to twitch.

“Did you see that beast?” The trapper exclaimed.

“I did never see a thing like it before in me life” declared the hunter.

“Its head would make an interesting trophy don’t you think?”

The hunter with a glint in his eye and the thought of the praise they would receive for brining down such a magnificent animal gave just a gesture in reply. Nothing more than a slight move of the hand.

Both men moved slowly into position, the trapper grabbed the lowest branch of the tree using it he lofted his slender bulk upwards into its murky canopy.

The hunter dropped onto his belly, and began to slither like a serpent gradually through the undergrowth to wards his quarry.

The sun seemed to shimmer and radiate from the coat of the creature. Lifting its head as if sensing the danger that was approaching around its gaze wandered trying to find where it was coming from. The hunter froze leaves covering his back mud on his face trying not to breathe to give away the position he was taking aim from. The trapper still slowly eking his way along the braches in order to drop the rope snare to entangle there prey.

The glowing animal blinked and with in the beat of a heart the shots were fired, the ropes dropped from the tree, the hunter exploded from cover and rapidly fired a multitude of arrows from his bow.

The beast did no move, did not murmur just blinked. Once and with that the world began to change.

The arrow storm had stopped, this was the worst possible moment that Mhera could think of, he had herd stories of how  the Shorall do this in many battles, they use ranged weapons to soften the village up then they charge in riding there tamed creatures and long spears and crush every one still breathing within.

“RISE UP” Screamed Mhera with every ounce of air in his lung, “RISE UP” his cry echoed out “RISE UP”. The sand began to move and from the ground appeared his men, shield on arm and long spear in hand. The wind had told Mhera they were coming to take the village; he had planned well in advance his mind was open to ideas and creations, to hide the army under the centre of the village until the end of the storm had worked, the Shorall would now be on the charge and they would be ready to fend them off. Push them back and claim revenge for there friends and allies that had fallen in this war.

The wind shifted, swirling and blowing from behind the troops. Mhera thought he could hear whispers in the wind the words were clear in his mind though no to his ears. His eyes fixed on his men, standing there shields held forward spears positioned to press up and into the bodies of the oncoming enemy force. “MOVE BACK, MOVE BEHIND THE PITS, MOVE NOW MOVE I SAY” the words left his mouth with urgency and conviction, his men did not hesitate to reform behind the places they had hidden.

Mhera ran to join his men, collecting his shield and spear of shining silver from the stand, he remembered finding his weapon upon a rock in the desert as if he had been lead to it in a dream, the thought quickly evaporated though as he herd the snarls of the beasts coming over the drifts.

“TO KNEE” came the order bellowed from the line by one of his generals, every man dug there self into the ground, coiling behind there tall shields, this would allow them to press up with such force as the riders tried to drive through them, which in turn would drive the spear deeper into there unwitting targets.

Over the barrier the roar builds as the riders charged towards the barricade, the speed increasing to clear the points aloft the wall of spikes. Sweat dripping from the brow of the spearman lined on the other side, waiting for the attack, patience training they had it all, Mhera had trained them well. Wait for the moment, Use the spear to hold the point, there momentum slamming it deeper into them, wait they must, do not break, do not run, keep there calm, and their time would come.

A mass of fur and claws crashed over he line with an earth shattering roar, eyes, fangs claws and riders landing, they glinted in the fire light non stop they carried the charge forward into the line. Howls screeched out as the spears splintered through bone and sinew, blood splattering over the faces of the linesman, running down the shields, the worry began to rise within the troops, Mhera barking orders like a man possessed, trying to hold the line against the wave of snarling beasts. Silver spear glistening in flickering light of the eve spinning from one target to another, pulsing with the guiding light, it was as if Mhera was possessed by some guiding spirit.

Every move entwined to strike at the exact spot though a hand was controlling the movement of his body. Shifting the spear slipped back into its sheath at the rear of his belt, hands reached down to collect up what appeared to be bronze axes from a fallen opponent, right arm convulsing and expanding to fire the axe from his hand towards the bear skull of a stunned rider struggling to reach for freedom of the saddle. Left hand spinning out to the side embedding the second axe into the throat of an on coming assailant, hand reaching back once more to the spear as his momentum allowed him to slide under the beast bearing down on him. With ease and precision the spear pressed into the soft squish point below the ribcage, muscle convulsed as it punctured sinew and lung deep into the heart of the beast. It began to yield falling to the left Mhera rolled to the right, gripping the spear as he went dragging it from the breast of the ones mighty creature which now was bleeding to rapidly to death, as rising the spear once more was pushed forwards catching the eye slit of his foes helmet and pressing through into the brain.

The roars had changed to cheers, the men stood waving a mass of new weapons, armour and oddities, they had held off the invasion, but for how long the plan had worked, the idea had held off the invasion. Mhera stood and listened to the wind, words formed in his head, images and pictures started to swirl. Clambering to the top of the defences he looked out, he could see the armies general waving the retreat, the first assault had failed they would have to rebuild there forces. He knew this gave them time to improve there defences and train, work out this new armour and weaponry and build better things. As he turned he noticed some thing else in the desert forming, blinking and rubbing his eyes he tried to make out the shape, this dust cloud was turning into some thing he was sure of it. He stared long and hard at this thing slowly walking towards the village, he was sure it was of importance. He couldn’t make it out, were they robes around it, was it the sand blowing up and lapping at its feet, he couldn’t be sure but he did know that change was coming.

The cave system had sheltered them now. There food supplies were running low, as was the moral, would it ever be safe to return to the village. Would this force ever stop hounding them, as the sun set in the distance they looked out across the wind swept plains. Movement in the distant tree line gave the guards reason to worry, though the thoughts were it could be nothing more than roaming deer.

The wind quickly shifted and began to form spirals of dust up from the floor. They guards now had some thing to think about, stand watching r back in to safety, if they were in the cave surely they would be safe? But it would mean leaving there posts.

As the figure formed the guards began to panic and couldn’t help but run, they clambered along the wall and in through the opening, down the long darkened corridor shouting as they went in effort to wake every one.

Quickly the tribe formed to the large central cavern with in the mountain, armed with any thing they thought they could use as a weapon. Gathering in darkness, trying to light there torches, in effort to see this image that was coming.

Light danced and flickered along the edges of the entrance, changing colour and shape with each passing heartbeat. Waiting trying to hold back the panic, preparing for the worst that could come, the tribe stood prepared.

The light began to illuminate the cavern, the walls began to dance with images, they looked towards the source and standing there was a figure that seemed to shimmer with light and darkness.

Words filled the air; words from the figure as it spoke the room began to chill.

“My name is Norastu and I am here to save you”

The sudden tremor had rocked the foundations of the mountain. Quickly they gathered running through there tunnels and shafts to get to the surface. The mines would have to wait; this was some thing catastrophic that must be fixed.

The Oak doors were lying twisted and cracked the cave mouth crumbling, work teams moved quickly to clear the rubble they must find out what had set this travesty in motion.

Messages were flying up and down the corridors, orders were passing down the chain of command, every member of the mining tribe was in action and there would be no rest till they worked out what was going on. Deep with in the central chamber sat Scrall, rapidly tapping her fingers across the stone table her mind reaching out trying to find what had happened to her people, her dwarfs.

Information was passing faster and faster, facts were getting back to the lord, it had been some kind of fire balls shower, it had destroyed most of the farmland out side, along with the farming dwellings.

Scralls face twisted with the news, she thought she was alone on the rock that no other guardians had come to the surface. Her face started to turn, red light started to glow through the eyes of her visor. Runners started to back away from her slowly, realising that being in the room right now could be a very bad idea.

From Scrall a flair of light erupted, the stone table splintered like kindling and Scrall was on her feet, the blackened out line of three runners marked the wall behind where they once stood.

“Amarrit is here, get the troops, he must pay for what he has done this day” snarled Scrall to the only remaining runner.

The mass of stone burned as hot as the sun, every thing around it had burst into flame. Crunching, grinding noises like mountains fighting began to radiate from the mass of molten boulders as it attempted to lift itself from the crater it had created from its long dissent into the surface of the planet.

Mass’s of rock seemed to form the shape of hands and reach out to lift itself, rock faces shifted across the mound to form legs and arms. This bulk was taking shape and rising to its feet. Light bubbles across the surface of its stone skin as it cooled. The entry into the planets atmosphere had been violent; the temperature across the body of this guardian was so intense the ground itself was melting under foot.

Amarrit the largest of the guardians had awoken, dazed from the journey but awake enough to start stumbling forward. Each step crashed into the ground like a hammer on an anvil. The field ignited flaring high into the clouds as Amarrit passed from pasture to pasture, foot prints like wells left behind stumbling north towards the colder climate to cool his burning mantle.

Miss placed steps toppled the stone giant into the stream, no splash was herd as the water evaporated with in milliseconds steam escalating into the sky forming fog around the mass of rock and stone that was Amarrit.

Quickly the group grew, they had come from the tree’s to the ground to see what could have caused so much damage, they gathered around the hall, torch light flickering out side the walls, spectral light seeming to flicker with in them.

Slowly the doors creaked, gently swinging open to show the mangled mass of limbs and flesh attempting to crawl forward.

Gasps came from the on looking crowd, no one could comprehend that any thing causing that much damage could have survived this must be a God.

The front of the pack moved forward to help the wounded guardian, the remaining dropped to knee in praise of this being whom was brining light to the darkness of these forest homes.

Quickly they carried the motionless body to rest on the elevation lowered from the upper branches of the towering central tree. It was though the beams sighed with relief as this shimmer body was laid upon them; with out any effort the crew aloft in the dense canopy of foliage drew the lift high into the town.

With speed all the onlookers began to clamber back into the town which was hastened by the distance howl of wolves calling out in search of some thing.

The beast carried on its way through the forest, enjoying the night air, the call of nature and beauty that surrounded her.

Knowing that she has just forever turned the trophy hunters into animals gave her a sense of mourn but it was the right thing to do, if they wish to pillage nature then they should scavange for eternity as penance for there wasteful sins, though at this moment in time she hadn’t realised that it was the whole tribe she had converted into rodents.

The hunter and the trapper has scurried back to there village with great haste, they should warn all the Kiriti that this beast was mystical and should be stopped for what it had done to them. As the bridge across the safety moat for the village they realised that it hadn’t just touched them, but every one with in the tribe. The noise coming from within the village walls could only be described as a herd of rats on the move.

Standing upon the bridge and looking in the Hunter Screeched what can only be described as swords scraping across stone. Though the truth was he explained the position of the Beast, how he thought they could stop it and to grab the weapons now as they must move like the wind.

The rock was comfortable for her present form, from here she could watch over this little tribe of humans and study them, the human animal had intrigued, for some time and when ever she got to watch them she would.

The wind changed, some thing new was coming, rapidly, from behind the village.

In her mind this was not a good thing, she thought cursing the cruel humans to a life of rodents would amend for there want of destruction and death; she had been wrong, though the form change the persona’s with in stayed strong.

She watched as over the hill an army of rat men marched, heading towards the village below. This was her favourite village to study, they were strong and peaceful, graceful and a little bit elegant, they had designed amazing structures, and there was even a statue to her within the walls.

Panicking she couldn’t see these humans destroyed. She blinked and the world changed one more time.

The gates shock with tremendous thunder clap as the gauntleted fist struck against the oaken beams.

Again the hand crashed against the barrier of wood.

Mighty booms could be herd through out the compound as each hammer blow rained on the gate door.

The watchman slowly swung the lever to unlatch the might construction, shacking where he stood at the omnipresence in front of him.

“I am Tanararia. I am here to show you the way and the future.”

Boomed a voice from with in the swirling mass of robes, the guard dropped to his knee, beckoning this entity to pass inside the compound, once passed the guard quickly regained composure and slammed the great gate closed once more.

“You under stand what this is do you not?” questioned the guardian standing in the middle of the chamber.

“These tribal’s do not wish alliances, they do not care for saviours, they want your land and they will take your lives to take it” Declared the entity which had introduced itself as Norastu.

“They will get you here and you are weak and life less, you can not hide in the shadows for ever with out my help. I can make it so the shadows and darkness will help you, if you will let me”

This gesture caused some stirring among the huddled masses, from the back a voice with quivery tones of question piped up “Why would you do this for us?”

“Because I have been watching you fight this menace for some time, I have sat watching you huddled in the darkness and as I stand here now I declare it is my position to take you under my arm and lead you to greatness”

Rising to his full height the elder stood in front of Norastu. “Show us the ways oh great lord, bring us under your fold and mould us to be the champions you desire”

“As you wish” was all that was herd from the lips of the Guardian as he smiled and opened his arms to the huddled crowd.

Weapons clattered from stands, feet could be herd massing along corridors, orders barked along dark recess of the guard chambers.

“Hammers Do You Hear Hammers, collect them from the Smith these are the weapons our Lady wish us to carry to battle” Belted the Gralled.

“No heavy armour double hammers we need speed move it” Another call came from the Gralled.
The whip creaked and twisted in the hands of the Whirick, standing on the ledge by the entrance he watched the troops fall into there group formations.
Rapidly the Dwarf army lined up waiting for the order to move out and claim revenge on the monster that had stripped there farm land.

The small clustered village watched this giant as it tumbled and fell towards them. The act of walking for the stone guardian was like a ballet but not as graceful heavy lumbering feet clattered and crashed into walls and rocks alike. Amarrit was slowly gaining his bearings, and was attempting to correct his motion. The earth was so different from where they had lay for eons and much adjustment was needed to get to grips with his form on this rock.

The Village attempted to shake off the awe of this Mountain walking and hurried to close the gate, running with haste from points along the wall, and with in the wall, they ran, mud splattering up, some slipping and gliding along the ground on there knees.

The first runner threw himself off the wall grabbing the rope for the pulley system as he went by, hoping his rapid decent would make the mechanism swing into life faster.

The second slide under the falling man to waiting to catch the rope so they could both pull hopefully bring the barrier into place and stopping this being crashing through there village.

The gates creaked and groaned under the strain as more and more came to take up and heave them into place.

Crashing together after a long few moments they were sealed and the village was safe.

Those who had pulled thee defence shut clambered to the wall edge to look out to see where the mammoth monster had vanished.

As heads started to push over the wall the sound of splintering would could be herd stone crushing and mud swallowing Amarrit had tripped and collapsed straight through this barrier of defence.

Lying on the ground in the remains of the gate way Amarrit manoeuvred so he was sitting, the eyes blinked and from the dirt encrusted lips of this fallen guardian the words came out very slowly and as if the earth its self was calling out.

“SOR-RY”