Author's Note:
Hello people! Ulktamate here for a new book! Before we begin, there's a couple things I would like to say.
First, thank you for taking time out of your day to read my book. I really appreciate it.
Second, let me make a shoutout to HazzaChillOut (Author of 'We are the Legends') for helping me develop my character (via Roleplay). Sorry I haven't done that in awhile, I've been busy making this!
Third, I'll be posting these stories every Thursday. If I don't post one on that day for any reason, it will come out the next Thursday.
Fourth, this story has its own language (as you'll find out). I'll always translate it, but for those of you who want to learn it I am currently working on a guide.
Finally, and OCs or reviews are welcome, and since this story is new...I'll quote a good friend on this. "Gather them...I will (be able) to take them all..." Please try to give constructive criticism when reviewing, I don't want just hate reviews like 'OMG this sucks like blahblahblah...' or 'You suck and, uh, this book needs a life. Yeah, take that!'.
Anyways, lets begin!
He woke up in darkness. It surrounded him, penetrated him, became him. He felt in front of him and found stone. He felt all around him, but couldn't find a single opening. There wasn't anything he could do but lay down in his tight, rectangular chamber and wait. And he waited, and waited, and waited some more. Unknown to him, decades past before he would finally have to stop waiting.
Gas spread into the small chamber, making him eventually lose consciousness. When he woke up, he felt different. He could see the details on the stone of his little chamber. He could hear noise, almost small chatter outside. Most of all, he felt something inside him, eating at him.
"Wake up, it is time, oh bearer mine." it said. The stone to his right suddenly dissipated, and light poured into the chamber, blinding him. A beautiful thing floated in front of the chamber, helping him out. He put his feet on the ground, it felt natural to him. He expected to stumble over, but instead he found he could keep completely balanced.
He looked up at the beautiful thing. It told him that her name was Laksa. She, for the next few years, would teach him to speak in both English (also known as I-Xol, named after the dead queen Xol) and Ancient Hive (Na-Xal). She showed him how to feed, how to conjure Hive magic. Eventually she helped get him a master.
The Knight's name was Arak-tcha (tcha meaning 'master'), the Bone Master. He didn't understand Ancient Hive (for it was used only by high ranking Hive and royalty), so most of their conversations were in English. Arak-tcha trained him to fight and how to lead. He learned amongst other 'Kal' (kal meaning students). Kal were a type of sub-acolyte who only learned with no field work and looked like small Knights. They always watched him, looking at him like he was some sort of experiment gone wrong. He was alone, and that's how he liked it for many years.
One day, Arak-tcha stood before his group of 'Kals'. "Today is your final test. We have a simple mission for you, one that I'm sure you can accomplish. All you have to do is capture the enemy team's Tomb Husk. There isn't one enemy team that you have to go against, though. There are hundreds. As the other 'Kal' cheered, Aegis (the name was gifted to him by Laksa) knew that there was something else to this. Arak-tcha was NEVER this simple, yet nobody seemed to notice.
"And" Arak-tcha spoke up, "I'm afraid my father Alak-hul (hul, I've decided means 'blade') will not be coming to judge. As this is a tournament type situation, there will be classes from all over the Hive coming to participate. Because of the size of this event, the royal family is coming."
The entire group broke out into murmuring. "Silence!" Arak-tcha yelled. "The event is in thirty Ur (minutes). Practice your formations until then. May your worms grow tenfold!" And with that, the group rushed into formation, splitting into a capture and defense team. Aegis loved defending (it meant he got to wait for the enemy to come to him), so he began to head over, but was stopped by three other Kal.
"Don't mess up, gre-ak (odd one), or it would be unfortunate if you..." the middle Kal twirled his sword "...didn't come back."
"Gah jalax ja gak dek." (I hope that you fall) Aegis said back in Ancient Hive.
"Hey! This gre-ak is speaking nonsense!" the Kal yelled so that all could hear. Everybody stopped what they were doing and started to circle around.
Aegis was able to avoid brawls so far, but it was bound to happen sooner or later, and in this case, later. Aegis repeated what he said again, but in English. "Is that a challenge?" the Kal snorted. "You two, I got this." The other two Kal backed off, and both brawlers drew their training swords. These swords were strong enough to kill, but not permanently. Arak-tcha watched in the back, use to the fact that students would do this almost every day.
Xor (the opposing Kal), was the first to lunge forwards. Aegis deflected the first couple strikes but was then cut across the chest. Aegis staggered back, clutching his chest. He shot a blast of Hive magic towards Xor, who summoned a shield to protect himself, leaving him vulnerable. Aegis ran around the shield and cut him across the back.
Xor howled in pain and the shield dissipated. Xor reached around with his free hand and grabbed Aegis by the throat, slamming him against the wall. "It's over Aegis. I win." Zoe raised his blade to finish Aegis off, but paused.
" You know, I've never seen you die before. I'm going to make it as painful as possible, teach you a lesson." And that's when Aegis struck.
Aegis kicked back against Xor, toppling him. Aegis landed on his feet and pinned him down by the throat, the sword pointed close to Xor's face. "You don't deserve the name Xor, you are not worthy of the dead queen. Your name is now Xo, the Thrall Knight. I'm done with you." Aegis released Xor (now Xo), who ran to his comrades for support.
"Well done both of you." Arak-tcha spoke up. "I hope to see that kind of performance in the Tournament. That goes for all of you. We are leaving immediately for the Dreadnaught." The group began to whisper to each other again. 'Dreadnaught?' 'Isn't that where Oryx's throne is?'.
The group traveled to the docking station on the moon, deep within the chambers of the fortress. "When you deploy, you will have to fight at once. Keep on your toes, and stay in formation." They reached the docks, were thousands of 'Kal' were boarding their specified Tomb Ship. Eventually it was their turn, and they all were transported inside.
"This tournament will be..." the King paused "...entertaining." He sat at the reserved seating up high on a Hive-type balcony. "Crota, how soon will they arrive?"
"They are on their way now. I have the upmost confidence that my Spawn will win."
"Challenging my Blood? I think not!"
"Let's make it a challenge then, father. The survivors of the tournament will gain an artifact of power as a sign of good will."
"What about your sisters? You wish to exclude them?"
"Bah! They have no spawn of their own. Their too busy with their 'death song' to think about other things like this. The only reason they're here is because you made them come."
"One thing is for certain, my son, the Hidden Swarm will be utterly destroyed. They are definitely the most disappointing legion under my command."
"Don't you know, father? The Reaper is in one of the Hidden Swarm groups."
"Really? That ought to change things."
"Get ready 'Kals', you're dropping in-" Arak-tcha's yelling was cut off as the group deployed. They were in an area similar to the entrance to the Hellmouth, where everything was pitch black, and the only light came from lamps littered around the area. Above was a shadow like layer that could be seen through from above but kept everything under it completely dark.
Xor (he gained his confidence back) pointed at a tomb husk that was flowing a soft green and said, "Defense team get in formation! The rest of us are going for the nearest husk!" Most of the group left, leaving for the nearest enemy team.
Aegis silently broke formation and perched on top of a nearby rock shrouded in darkness. He could clearly see what was going on around him, but it was harder for others to see him. He looked at the leftovers of his team and realized that if a large group were to charge them they were sure to perish. Until then, Aegis did what he did best. He waited.