Yeah, I know, I've been gone a while (you can't rush good things) and believe me I've been looking forward to this chapter, so I hope it was worth the wait.
Also, disclaimer, the training montage was HEAVILY inspired by the training montage in Highlander (it even helps if you listen to that song while reading :D)
Now, without Further Ado...TRAINING MONTAGE ACTIVATE!
Al'Dan Chapter 8
New Faces, Old names, New Trials
Years passed as they would. Bul'Vyr's training of Al'Dan progressed, with both Liana and Al'Dan growing to become more capable hunters.
Bul'Vyr was not easy on either of them. But after hearing his story firsthand, Al'Dan and Liana had no quarrels with how he taught them.
Human Year: 2243
Al'Dan age: 17
Bul'Vyr rode on the back of a Yautja Hellsteed, its hoofed feet leaving trails in the sand of the beach as it briskly jogged. Al'Dan ran, sprinting besides his master on foot, wearing naught but his breeches.
"Come on Al'Dan! Faster!" Bul'Vyr shouted, almost chuckling at the end of his sentence.
Sweat poured down the young human's face as he sprinted as fast as he could. Bul'Vyr said this was a great way to build stamina. He certainly didn't have a strength advantage against other Yautja, but he needed the stamina to keep up with them.
Two figures clashed blades atop the craggy cliffsides of an alien world. The wind blew through Bul'Vyr's dreadlocks and Al'Dan's tightly braided hair.
Both wore leather that covered most of their bodies, far more than their usual jungle garb. Al'Dan swung his brother's machete to fight his mentor. Bul'Vyr held his own machete one handed, analysing his trainee's every movement.
Al'Dan double handed the Machete and swung down, Bul'Vyr side stepping the stroke entirely and causing Al'Dan's machete to plant into the ground. Bul'Vyr swung his machete down to keep Al'Dan's planted in the ground.
"Never overextend your thrust! You are vulnerable…and…" Bul'Vyr playfully kicked Al'Dan from behind onto the floor "…Off Balance"
Al'Dan sat up to see Liana giggling from a distance.
"Liana!" Al'Dan grumbled.
Bul'Vyr grinned.
The clearing of the forest was quiet enough, the sound of the wind rustling the trees and the creaking of wooden branches. This planet was much like the one Bul'Vyr had taken them to on their first trip.
Liana's knives bounced off the targets before her as they failed to meet their mark. Her ability to throw her own knives hadn't taken as well as her ability to make them.
"Don't just aim with your eyes. Aim with all your senses, feel the air, hear your target, take everything into account. Then you will more easily find your mark" Bul'Vyr instructed his niece as picked out a throwing knife of his own.
Hurling it one handed like it was second nature. The steel blade imbedded itself deep into the target on the tree. The knife itself shaking back and forth as it did.
Bul'Vyr smirked as he pulled out another knife and handed it to Liana.
"Try again"
Bul'Vyr was once again riding his hellsteed with Al'Dan sprinting as fast as he could to catch up with his master.
Al'Dan was getting faster and faster by the day. His reflexes got quicker, his legs got stronger and his stamina was almost double what it was when he began training.
"Speed and Stamina are what you must have in your favour. You will never be stronger than a Yautja, but you can be faster, and you can outlast one if you build yourself the right way" Bul'Vyr instructed from his steed.
Al'Dan could only chuckle in reply between his panting breaths.
Al'Dan and Bul'Vyr's Machete blades clashed once again, this time in the confines of the same forest where they had trained before.
"Watch your footwork! Very Good! Now be quick!" Bul'Vyr swung his machete for Al'Dan, the young human ducking beneath the swing.
Al'Dan stood up with a smirk on his face, but the smirk quickly disappeared when Bul'Vyr pointed to his right. The Old Hunter had cut a small tree to Al'Dan's side in half, the branchless log quickly yielded to gravity and fell.
The young human didn't have time to dodge the tumbling log from falling on him.
Bul'Vyr rolled his eyes before laughing.
"You must be vigilant, agile, focused. Never drop your guard even for a second" Bul'Vyr stood beside Al'Dan on hard group of rocks, surrounded by a series of flowing rivers.
Wielding his brother's machete, the young Human mimicked the movements Bul'Vyr was making.
"The steel must be a part of you. Like a tooth, or an extension of your arm" Bul'Vyr whispered with his eyes closed.
Al'Dan continued to mimic his master's movements as the two of them flowed like the rivers they stood amongst.
"It's a little heavy…not very wieldy" Al'Dan admitted as his arm trembled.
"Your arm will grow stronger" Bul'Vyr smirked as he flourished his machete in a display of skill.
"Nature is your weapon. As much as a sharp blade or a charged up plasmacaster. Use your surroundings to your advantage. Make your adversary work against his surroundings" Bul'Vyr lectured Liana and Al'Dan as they attempted to jump from branch to branch in the treeline above him.
Their sandal covered feet kept making noise, however, the Blue skinned Hunter could easily keep track of them from below the trees.
Bul'Vyr smirked "You must stay light with your footwork, both in and out of combat. Those with heavy feet seldom make it as elite Hunters, a single miss-step can alert an adversary or a target to your presence or cause you to fall mid-combat"
Al'Dan groaned in pain as he poured cold water onto the bruises and open wounds he had sustained in training. Stood, knee deep in the flowing river, Al'Dan tried to relax the sore throbbing of his muscles.
Wiping a freshly wet piece of cloth onto his wounds to clean the blood off, Al'Dan grit his teeth.
Little did he know he had an admirer, standing near the treeline.
Al'Dan's muscles had gotten some good definition due to Bul'Vyr's training, and Liana had taken notice. A few stolen glances every now and then had grown.
The young Sapphire Huntress had grown quite a liking to the young Human.
Al'Dan sprinted alongside the Hellsteed, his master on the back with a grin across his mandibles. Al'Dan's stamina had improved immensely, to stay in pace with a trotting Hellsteed was no small feat and the Sapphire hunter was pleased.
"Good work, Al'Dan. Keep it up, only 300 yards to go" Bul'Vyr laughed on the back of his Hellsteed.
Al'Dan let out a breathless chuckle, no matter how much time passed, his master would never change.
"Now…for this" Bul'Vyr stood by both Al'Dan and Liana on the beach, they wore only the most basic of clothing. Al'Dan and Bul'Vyr in their loincloths and Liana in a Loincloth and chest wrap.
"Many Hunters forget the reason we hunt…the reason we do what we do…like so many species have" Bul'vyr paced in front of the two.
"Close your eyes" he ordered as they complied.
"We are one with Nature…with all things we share existence, we feed off the animals and plants…and they feed off us when we pass…all matter in the universe is from the same womb…we are all children of Nature…my clan understood this, as the united Yautja once understood…as your people once understood Al'Dan" Bul'Vyr continued as he walked around behind the two young ones.
"You must feel everything around you…the wind against your skin…the ground beneath your feet…the world around you is alive…" Bul'Vyr said as he closed his own eyes and took a deep breath.
Al'Dan and Liana could feel every movement their bodies made, the beating of their hearts, the creaking of their bones, the stretching of their muscles, the echo of their breath through their lungs. But as they concentrated harder, they could feel everything else outside of them.
The guest of the wind, the shifting of the sand, the very whispers of the crashing ocean.
Everything was alive, everything had purpose.
"Do you feel it?" Bul'Vyr asked.
"…Yes" Al'Dan answered, Liana nodded her head.
Bul'Vyr smiled and took a deep breath.
Nearby a wild mammalian beast walked on the shore side, it resembled an Earth Deer, but its fur was shaggy, it had three eyes and its horns were much more intricate. It watched the Human and 2 Yautja from a distance.
"Now…reach deeper, deeper within and without, the creatures surrounding us, feel them…feel the beast…" Bul'Vyr instructed, feeling the creature nearby without looking.
"Feel him…his breath…flowing…his heart…beating…his blood…coursing…do you feel him?" Bul'Vyr asked.
Al'Dan and Liana's eyes twitched beneath their lids, the human swore he could feel something new…a deep echo…a deep beating.
"Do you feel him?" Bul'Vyr began to breath quicker as his movements began to twitch, like he was holding back excitement.
"I…I feel him…" Al'Dan's eyes opened in shock, Liana's eyes shooting open a mere second later with the same shock.
"THEN COME ON!" Bul'Vyr yelled and began to sprint as fast as he could down the beach.
Liana and Al'Dan looked to each other and looked to see the deer sprinting in the same direction as Bul'Vyr. They could feel the creature's breath, feel his blood coursing and the adrenaline keeping him running.
"AL'DAN! LIANA! COME OOOOOON!" Bul'Vyr yelled.
The two youngsters smiled at each other before letting their feet carry them, the pale human and the blue skinned sprinting towards their master, catching him up in no time flat.
"COME OOOOON!" Bul'Vyr yelled one last time and held his arms out wide.
"Too Slow Master!" Al'Dan laughed.
"Keep Up Uncle!" Liana laughed.
"HAHAHA!" Bul'Vyr's laughed as his students ran by his sides.
"My students! THIS IS THE HUNT!" Bul'Vyr laughed as he, Al'Dan and Liana ran until they reached a ledge.
All three leapt out and crashing into the waters below, all laughing and yelling their lungs out as they did.
Al'Dan and Bul'Vyr's machete blades clashed once more, only Al'Dan's movements flowed much smoother, like liquid. Bul'Vyr in fact looked like he was having trouble with his apprentice.
Al'Dan's fighting became very unorthodox, he would suddenly one hand his machete and use his wristblades to attack. Then retracting his wrsitblades to switch to a dagger and his machete. This style of fighting was effective in Bul'Vyr's eyes, forcing him to improvise further to accommodate his strategy.
However, Al'Dan used this change in tactics to find an opening in Bul'Vyr defence and use his dagger to whisk the machete from his grasp.
With the sound of metal glancing off metal, Bul'Vyr's Machete went flying out of his hand and tumbled to the floor below. Al'Dan smiled as he pointed his Machete at Bul'Vyr's neck.
The panting Yautja smiled with his mandibles. A few beads of sweat tumbling down his face.
"Very good...very good" Bul'Vyr smiled at the young human who retracted his machete and bowed in respect to his master.
"I had a good teacher" Al'Dan smiled at his master, sweat dripping down his face.
Bul'Vyr's smile never dropped for the rest of that day. The feeble Ooman boy that he had taken under his wing had grown so much in such a short span of time. His skill had improved immensely, his wits were about him, he wielded his weapons like extensions of himself.
Bul'Vyr looked at Al'Dan's bright blue eyes.
He was so much like his brother in more ways than one.
He was skilled.
He was brave.
He had a drive.
And most of all…
He made Bul'Vyr proud.
Human Year: 2245
Al'Dan Age: 19
A year had come and gone. Many more trips to other planets had happened in that time. Liana and Al'Dan's life over that year became a blur of training and study to improve their skills in becoming better hunters.
The academy on the Clanship provided the basic materials, but Bul'Vyr provided the experience, the tempering like that of a fine blade. To forge the finest metals, it would have to be beaten, sharpened, strengthened, and Bul'Vyr certainly did that to Al'Dan.
With every trial the Blue skinned hunter put in front of them, both Al'Dan and Liana grew stronger. Their hands grew rougher, their muscles gained tone, their minds became sharper and their reflexes got faster.
El'Dan had also grown in skill as well as tenacity, it wasn't hard for Al'Dan's brother to find a mentor. A pure blooded Yautja with a strong physique and full potential wouldn't be rejected like a Human such as Al'Dan.
Even though El'Dan's mentor was not as legendary as Bul'Vyr was, there was no such resentment between the brothers. There never had been before and their brotherly love for one another was just as strong as the first time they laughed together as mere babes.
Over the course of a year Liana had only grown more beautiful and more mature. Like every female of her species she matured at a faster rate than her male counterparts.
She now stood a full head above Al'Dan in height, Al'Dan whom had grown to 6'3, very tall for a Human his age though still short compared to every Yautja he knew.
But of course, in some ways, things never changed.
The Clanship was en-route to orbit around a nearby a dwarf star. A rendezvous point of where various other clanships were heading. The time of the great Tournament of Cetanau was nearing, and soon a council would be held amongst the Yautja King, all the Elders and high-ranking hunters of the many clans.
The Tournament as always would take place upon the surface of the new Yautja home world. A planet by the name of Sahara, it was not the original home world of the Yautja, that planet now belonged to their cousins the Black Yautja.
But for now, everything seemed at ease.
…
…
*THUD!*
With a colossal thud, the form of a large, hulking Yautja was thrown flat on his back. The Yautja was a young male, around his early twenties, his figure was that of a well-trained Hunter, many times stronger than any human.
"…Ok, I'll admit that was just lucky" El'Dan grunted uncomfortably.
"Says the one lying flat on his back"
El'Dan looked up with a scowl of sorts on his face. Looking back at the bright blue eyes of his adopted human brother, Al'Dan.
Over time, Al'Dan had grown up significantly. By human standards he was surprisingly tall but with a strong and lean build that would put Olympic level athletes to shame. His hair had grown in length to the point where his braids reached the back of his shoulder blades.
Over his training he had gained a few scars over his body, but the most prominent of which was the scar over his lip, a constant reminder of his tussle with Tu'Van in his youth. On both of his forearms Al'Dan wore leather bracers and brown leather fingerless gloves.
He also wore breeches over his legs he always did and hide shin guards that evolved into leather sandals around his feet. Around his waist he had a leather belt that evolved into a leather combat skirt, it was an article of clothing that all Yautja of his clan wore to cover the crotch area, much like the combat skirts of Ancient Greeks and Roman soldiers.
Around his neck Al'Dan still wore his birth mother's pendant, only now the chain had been decorated with teeth and claws gifted to him by his tutor. Al'Dan had not yet earned the right to keep his own trophies but being gifted claws and fangs from kills was another matter entirely.
"You should really learn to fight smaller opponents, brother" Al'Dan smiled, offering El'Dan a hand.
El'Dan grunted as he took his brother's hand and stood to his feet.
"How the hell do you keep doing that? One moment I'm about to ring your head like a bell, the next I'm on my arse" El'Dan asked.
"I used your weight against you. It's not that hard brother, you weight quite a bit" Al'Dan smirked as he began to walk, El'Dan quickly following him.
The two brothers had agreed to a quick spar to test their skills against each other before heading off back home. They had finished their classes at the Academy little more than a week ago, though they were still permitted to use the training grounds and libraries to further their knowledge and skill.
Right now, both Al'Dan and El'Dan had finished their basic training for the day, a friendly spar at the end and they were about ready to head home.
Even with all the changes both the brothers had gone through, they had remained just as close as they had the day they met in the crib. El'Dan still looked out for his little brother, even though Al'Dan's training with Bul'Vyr had left him more than capable of looking after himself.
The two brothers came to what could be referred to as a town square. Merchants of all types were peddling their wares on stalls, hunters and huntresses returning from hunts were selling the pelts and meats they had harvested from their kills. Even regular Yautja citizens were having small talk with each other and the merchants themselves.
The square was far busier than it would usually be at this time of the day. And that was hardly surprising as the time of the Tournament was fast approaching. With the tournament came the promise of trading goods with other clans, the markets would fill to the brim and items and objects of exotic natures would become available to clans that didn't have access to them.
"Getting full isn't it?" Al'Dan asked, gesturing to the Marketplace.
"No surprise. The clans are gathering, so the clanship will be seeing plenty of new arrivals" El'Dan replied.
Many of the usual Merchants were used to El'Dan and his Human brother. Many of the merchants knew Al'Dan and El'Dan by name and greeted the two of them as they passed the stalls.
However, the new Merchants from other clans would have one of three reactions:
They would gasp and stare in shock at the sight of a Human in Yautja Garb, walking amongst their kind.
They would try their best to ignore the alien walking through the Marketplace as if he belonged.
Or the rarest and worst.
They would quickly reach for a weapon with hatred and violence in their eyes before one of their customers or Regular Clan merchants would stop them, reminding them of their clan's laws.
Under the laws of the Swift Edge clan, Al'Dan was as much a member as his brother. And if a foreign merchant did so much as harm a hair on his head, he would be paid a visit from the Arbitrators. The punishment for a foreign clan member harming a clan member of the host clan was death.
It was one of the laws that made times such as this exceedingly difficult. Then again, the laws existed to keep the peace between the clans, and they had worked up to now.
The meeting of the clans was always a very risky time as well as rewarding.
Al'Dan wasn't looking forward to meeting other Hunters his age from other clans. His clan was an accepting one, one of the more tolerant clans of abnormalities and physical differences. In his clan, those with abnormalities, albinism, dwarfism and even Humans would be accepted in certain circumstances.
In one of the other clans, Al'Dan would have been fed to the Hell hounds if not jettisoned into space.
He counted his blessings that his adoptive mother and father were Swift Edge clan members.
"A lot of unfamiliar faces showing up isn't there?" Al'Dan asked.
"I know, Exciting isn't it?" El'Dan replied with a smirk.
The two were pulled out of their conversation when a sound blared out loud, filling the entire Clanship.
It was a very distinct sound, like that of a horn being blown in the deepest of chasms.
**BWAAAAAAAAAAARUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM!**
The Horn echoed through the Clanship and every single Yautja dropped what they were doing and began to murmur and talk amongst themselves. That's when the crowds of shopping Yautja began to disperse and leave the Marketplace.
Many of the Yautja who were shopping left in a hurry towards the direction of the docks. Yautja children being pulled along or carried by their parents, Hunters that were selling pelts and meats leaving in a hurry, even Merchants who were right in the middle of making sales left their stalls in a frenzy.
"Ok…What was that?" Al'Dan asked, the horn sounding very unfamiliar.
"We have visitors" came a voice from behind the brothers.
Both Al'Dan and El'Dan turned to meet eyes with Ran'Yal, the old resident Yautja Merchant. His scales had greyed and moulted a bit over the years and his advanced age was beginning to show, but nevertheless he was still an imposing figure at 7'5 feet tall, towering above both brothers.
"You boys have never heard that sound before, have you?" Ran'Yal asked rhetorically, he could tell from their lack of movement that they were too green to have heard that sound before.
The last time that horn sounded, El'Dan hadn't even been born yet.
The clans didn't gather all too often, so the horn of the gathering was a rare occurrence. Many of the more traditional families would make sure their offspring knew what the Horn meant, and as Al'Dan's family were not very traditional, it would explain why neither he nor El'Dan knew the significance of the horn.
"That's the Gathering Horn, that means the other clans' representatives are arriving" Ran'Yal explained.
"Well where are they arriving?" Al'Dan asked with a suddenly excited tone. He may have matured quite a bit over the years, but he was still the same excitable Human he had always been.
"The Docks…where else?" Ran'Yal replied with an arched brow as he began to walk towards the docks.
The brothers exchanged a look before excitedly dashing towards the docks, wasting no time in joining the crowd. The Gathering of the clans was a rare occurrence to the Yautja and neither Al'Dan nor El'Dan were going to miss this.
Their quick sprint to the Docks didn't take too long, both Al and El knew all the shortcuts and side streets on the Clanship, so navigating a quick route ahead of the crowd was almost no challenge at all.
Once at the docks, they could see what kind of arrival would warrant such a reaction from the clan. The docks had been cleared of most ships the hunters used to make room, make room for what exactly? Well the docking umbilical that connected both clanships of course.
Another Clanship had pulled up and connected with Al'Dan's Clanship. It stood as a statement to the stealth Clanships were capable of. Of all the species in the Universe, the Yautja were famed for being the stealthiest, and their ships took no exception to that. The silent running of ships was a useful feature for a species of Hunters, but even more useful to a species in the middle of a blood feud with their larger, stronger cousins.
This combination of Hunting and survival culminated in stealth systems that could help a Yautja Cruiser sneak its way past a galactic blockade without ever being noticed.
So, seeing that another Clanship had pulled up beside their clanship and docked was quite the surprise to both Al'Dan and El'Dan.
The docking port was a large circular metallic seal, etched with Yautja markings and runes. The craftsmanship of the Yautja was paramount in the design of their clanships, that counted towards the beauty of even the utility parts of their ships.
Both brothers recognised a lot of the faces in the crowd. Many Yautja from their class at the Academy, many of the resident merchants, quite a few Hunters, even a few of the clanship's Blacksmiths had arrived to observe the new arrivals.
At the Umbilical however was a contingent of Arbitrators in their trademark golden armour and blue shoulder capes. Standing with them in her long red cloak and ceremonial armour was the Clan Elder, a female Yaujta by the name of Ui'Tyr. Standing beside her was the Clanship's Priest of the gods, unlike other Yaujta, the Priest (or priestess depending on their gender) would forsake their given name to symbolize their devotion to their deities.
The presence of the Elder and Priest spoke leagues about the importance of the event. And as Al'Dan and El'Dan watched they both felt a rough scaly hand on their shoulders. The brothers turned to see none other than Al'Dan's master.
Bul'Vyr.
The height difference between the three had changed quite substantially since the last time all three were together. Even though El'Dan wasn't his full height yet, he was slowly gaining on Bul'Vyr, barely a few inches between him and the old hunter. Al'Dan as well had gained a few inches on his master, barely a foot separating them in terms of height.
Bul'Vyr had to admit, Al'Dan was freakishly tall for an Ooman of his age. The only Oomans he had seen around this height where the Black Armoured Oomans he had fought in the war.
Maybe it was all the Yautja food he was eating or the slight difference in gravity or perhaps it was an effect of Bul'Vyr's intense training…yeah that was probably it.
"Enjoying the show, are we?" the Sapphire hunter asked.
"Master, we were just…"
"It's alright Al'Dan. I was anxious to welcome the other clans myself. I actually have a few friends arriving today that I haven't seen in a long time" Bul'Vyr replied with a genuine smile.
"Other Hunters?" El'Dan asked.
Bul'Vyr chucked in reply, knowing Bul'Vyr that was a definite yes.
*TTRRRRRRRRRCLINK! THUD!*
A loud drilling sound pierced the air, followed by a loud metallic thud.
"It's about dam time" Bul'Vyr muttered as the docking process completed.
The docking port twisted into place, the Yautja markings and runes matching and glowing a deep crimson red before the port opened wide.
The first thing to emerge from the port was quite the striking visual.
A Yautja Hunter, towering at 8 feet tall, head to toe in streamlined black armour. If not for his light green skin and blotted dark green markings, he could be mistaken for a Black Yautja.
Luckily, this was not a Black Yautja.
This was a Dark Blade.
One of the Yautja elite, one of the deadliest hunters his race had ever known. Instantly recognisable by their black armour and tall stature. It was a well-known fact that the Dark Blade were commonly taller than the other clans, something in their breeding. It was theorized that the Dark Blades were closer related to their Black Yautja cousins than any other Yautja clan.
This meant their Physiology was slightly different from regular Yautja. They were stronger, bigger, faster and lived much longer.
While a Regular Yautja would live to be 1000 human years old, Dark Blades had been recorded to live into 1500 years while Black Yautja lived to be 2000. These physical traits were amongst the many reasons why the Dark Blades were the Elites of their species.
The trophies adorning the armour of this Yautja told anyone that looked at him that he was vastly successful. An Elite of the highest calibre, hundreds of years of experience and countless kills underneath his belt.
By the size of him and the complexion of his scales, he was at least 1100 years old.
Then there were two things about this hunter that caught Al'Dan's eye.
The glowing green eyepieces of the Hunter's mask.
And the belt buckle made from the remains of a human skull.
It was a well-known fact that the Dark Blades were one of the clans opposed to suing for peace with the Humans during the war. It was also very well known that the Dark Blades hated Humans with a passion, especially after the war ended. So, it was safe to say that they were the clan Al'Dan looked forward to meeting the least.
So, it was a surprise that when he looked up at his master, Bul'Vyr had a look of recognition on his face as well as a huge smile, or at least a Yautja equivalent of the smile.
Bul'Vyr knew this hunter?
The Hunter walked towards the Elder and the priest, thumping a fist to his chest he bowed in respect before holding out a hand to her. The Elder smiled and took his arm in a forearm shake. The Elder and the Hunter exchanged a couple of words that were inaudible to Al'Dan before the Hunter turned to the docking port.
Out of the port came a few new faces. 5 Dark Blade Yautja Hunters flanking a large Yautja who was most definitely the Elder of the Dark Blades.
He was about the same height as the first Hunter, wearing very runic and ceremonial looking black armour, minus the bio-mask. Hanging from his shoulders was the signifying red cloak that Yautja Elders always wore.
He smiled down at the Swift Edge Elder before embracing her in a well-meaning bear hug. The size difference between the two was very apparent in that moment. While Swift Edge Yautja were certainly tall, they weren't as tall as the Dark Blades as their Elder stood a good full foot and a half above the Swift Edge Elder.
The two Elders exchanged a few words before turning to the crowds that had assembled, the Swift Edge Elder with the priest at her right-hand side while the Dark Blade Elder had the first hunter at his left.
"Yautja of the Swift Edge Clan, I am Elder Vyr'Tex of the Dark Blade Clan. For Eons, our two clans have hunted side by side, it is good to finally set foot on a Swift Edge ship again, and I hope you can welcome our clan with open arms. The Festival of Paya and the Tournament of Cetanau are fast approaching, once the representatives of the other Clans arrive, we shall begin the ceremonies, but for now let us simply rejoice and bask in our renewed unity and brotherhood!" Vyr'Tex announced in a booming voice.
The Yautja surrounding the docks burst out into joyous cheers of celebration and revelry. Yautja of all ages, sizes and skin colours cheered in absolute joy that the two most celebrated rituals of their species were close and that the Dark Blade clan had graced them with their presence.
Al'Dan thought that since this occasion was one for celebration, that his presence would not be much of a bother for the Dark Blades.
But when he noticed that the first Hunter to set foot on the ship had his gaze fixed on him, Al'Dan gave it second thoughts.
While all the other hunters and even the Dark Blade Elder were roaring in revelry, the more experienced Hunter that Bul'Vyr apparently knew had his gaze fixed on Al'Dan with his arms crossed.
Those green eyepieces glared right into Al'Dan's soul, scanning him for strengths, weaknesses, Al'Dan wouldn't be surprised if the Hunter could read his mind. But as Al'Dan saw the head of the hunter move upwards, he realized he was no longer looking at him. Al'Dan felt a large hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Bul'Vyr, meeting the hunter's gaze with a strong look of his own.
Al'Dan could sense these two had history, and for the life of him he was cautious about what it was.
The Dark Blade elder nudged the Hunter, snapping him out of his staring contest with Bul'Vyr. Apparently, they had further business to attend to, and were too busy now for little get-togethers.
"Come on boys, let's get you two home" Bul'Vyr said as he put a hand on both the brothers' shoulders.
It didn't take long for the three to make their way through the ever-growing crowd and back on their way home.
Questions ran through Al'Dan's mind like water through a river.
What did the arrival of the Dark Blades mean for the Swift Edge clan?
What would come with the coming weeks leading up to the festival and the tournament?
And what was the story behind that one hunter?
Al'Dan mind buzzed with these questions as he walked besides his brother and Bul'Vyr. That is when a voice snapped him out of his idea filled daze.
"So, details?" the voice spoke right into Al'Dan's ear from behind him.
Spooked, Al'Dan quickly spun around to come face to face with none other than Bul'Vyr's niece, his fellow pupil and secret crush, Liana. She stood there with an amused look on her face, obviously proud at startling the ship's resident human.
To say that the years had been kind to Liana would have been an understatement.
She had filled out in all the right places, her muscles had become toned like that of a well-trained athlete, her dreadlocks reached the back of her waist and her pearly white mandible tusks had grown to their full length. One may not have known it, but long mandible tusks were considered incredibly attractive in Yautja society, especially on the females.
"Uh, Hi Liana" Al'Dan stuttered.
"Close your mouth boy, you'll catch flies" Bul'Vyr sighed as Al'Dan quickly obeyed the instructions given him.
"Sorry" Al'Dan muttered.
"So, how was it?" Liana asked again.
"How was what?"
"The Dark Blades?! What else?" Liana laughed.
"Oh, uh, yeah it was pretty cool, never seen another clan before" Al'Dan replied.
"Really? That's all you have to say, two clans that haven't seen each other in your lifetime and all you can say was it was pretty cool?" Liana asked with a confused chuckle.
"Well…there was this one Hunter…" Al'Dan began but stopped mid-way to look at Bul'Vyr.
"Scr'Tyx. The Elite Hunter in the black armour? The one that first emerged from the ship?" Bul'Vyr asked as he continued to walk besides the youngsters.
"Yes, that one. He, gave me a look"
"It's no surprise, Scr'Tyx has never liked Oomans that much. He tends to blame a lot of his greatest problems in life on your species, so it was probably no shock that he would take note of your presence here" Bul'Vyr explained.
"He won't…try anything will he?" El'Dan asked, concerned for his brother. He would protect his little brother if the situation called for it, but he doubted he could fight off an experienced Hunter of the Dark Blade clan.
Especially one that Bul'Vyr knew on a name basis.
"If there is one thing Scr'Tyx respects, its clan law. Al'Dan is a member of this clan, if he tried to kill him, he would be punished severely. And Scr'Tyx hardly has a clean slate when it comes to clan law" Bul'Vyr replied.
"But doesn't that mean he might try it again?" Al'Dan asked.
"The last time he broke a Clan Law he was exiled for a hundred years…it took a lot of blood on his end to make up for that. The punishment for killing a member of another clan on their clan's grounds is death, no redemption, nor is there promise for an honourable afterlife, and Scr'Tyx is motivated plenty by his sense of honour, more so than most Yautja" Bul'Vyr replied with a confident tone.
"How do you know him exactly?" Liana asked. It must have been something Bul'Vyr seldom spoke of if even Liana didn't know it.
"Do you remember how I said the winners of every Tournament of Cetanau gain special favour with the King? About how they become some of the greatest hunters of our species?" Bul'Vyr replied.
"Yeah?"
"He won the tournament after mine. He is one of the greatest hunters of our species, and one of the few Yautja I consider an equal" Bul'Vyr replied before he stopped and leaned in close to Al'Dan.
"But all the same, it would probably be best for you to stay clear of him. He isn't exactly a nice fellow" Bul'Vyr continued before he straightened back up and began to walk again.
Al'Dan, El'Dan and Liana watched as Bul'Vyr went ahead of them.
"Well…If I die, you can have all my stuff" Al'Dan said to his brother, who smirked before wrapping an arm around his shoulder.
"Oh, thank you brother" El'Dan smiled before rubbing his knuckles into Al'Dan's scalp.
I don't think apologies for how long this took count anymore. I'm done saying sorry for leaving you guys hanging because I'm sure you get the gist by now…even more with what has happened in the world recently.
All I can say is, I'm not dead, I'm happy, I'm healthy and I am back! Keep an eye on my other stuff, because Dakkaman777 is back Baby!
Also, the Dark Blade Hunter, Scr'Tyx...is Scarface from Predator Concrete Jungle...nice little easter egg for ya.
Next Chapter…the tournament begins!