A/N: Once again, words that need explanation are in italics the first time they appear and are described at the bottom of the page.

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Kalrin woke suddenly bathed in a cold sweat. Sitting up he rubbed his eyes, as if to rub away the image of the nightmare that haunted him. It was the same one every night.

He would find him self walking into the temple, draped in the ceremonial furs. People lined up on either side of him, filling the temple, would bow as he approached the alter. In front of the alter stood the Har'shal, holding the chieftain crown in his hands. As he approached the alter, he knelt down as the Har'shal placed the crown on his head. As he stood, he turned to look at the crowd. They all laid dead, withered as if they had aged a hundred years in a moment. Unable to move, he looked around the room of corpses, franticly trying to find any sign of his wife and daughter. He looked toward the temple door he had entered through. A blinding light shown forth from it, he put his hand up to shield his eyes. As his eyes adjusted, he could see two figures standing in the light, just outside the temple doors. It was them! He tried to call out to them but no voice escaped his throat. He started running towards the door, but the temple hall seemed to stretch further and further the harder he ran. Just as he reached the door, it slammed shut, shutting out the light.

That's when he would wake up. Some times screaming, sometimes, like tonight, in cold sweat. It had been happening ever since it was announced that he would be one of the three brought before the Gods to be chosen as the next chieftain. In truth, he didn't want to be Chief. He wanted nothing more than to work on his farm and live his life out simply with his wife and daughter.

"No one can deny the Gods' Will" the Har'shal had said during the announcement.

"The Gods' Will... what about my will?" Kalrin thought to himself.

Kalrin carefully got out of bed, trying his best not to wake Laralil, who had thankfully slept through his nightmare, this time. It was still very late at night, but he needed to calm himself down before even thinking of sleep. Quietly making his way to the kitchen, he poured himself a glass of water. As he drank the water, his thoughts turned to the next few weeks. There would be ceremonies and parties for whoever was chosen as the next Chief. The Chief would have to move from where ever he lived to the Chief's dwelling, a large house built on the highest hill in the city, next to the temple. The Chief would have to hear out the problems of everyone in the city, make war plans, travel to ally tribes to talk peace and trade, to name only a few of the many duties. He had been in numerous battles before, each one more terrifying and trying than the next, but he had never dreaded something this much before.

Of course then there were the 'wives'.

Kalrin, smiled to himself as he replayed the conversation he had with Laralil earlier. It was true, he had the right to 'marry' any woman that would have him (and there would be few who wouldn't, because being married to the Chief meant a life of ease), but he really couldn't imagine sharing life with anyone else but her. He chuckled again. But it would be fun to tease her about it a bit more. She, like so many others, was sure he would be chosen as the next Chief of the Na'garn. She said it was because the God's knew he was pure of heart. Others believe it was because he was marked by the God's during the God's Blessing ceremony he went through as a baby. He instinctively put his right hand over his left shoulder and rubbed the black symbols etched in his skin. He had always been told he was special because of the marking. No one really knew what it meant. But the elders claimed it was a sign that he would be a great leader someday. He had never really thought much of it. Couldn't even see it except for in a mirror. Taking another sip of water, he froze. A sound, coming from the gren'ga pin outside.

"Poachers..." Kalrin muttered, carefully placing the glass on the counter.

Kalrin's warrior instincts kicked in. With out making a sound, he strode through the living room and picked up his tool belt, throwing it around his waist and cinching it in one motion. He carefully opened the door just a crack and peered outside. His eyes scanned the gren'ga pin and the barn next to it. No signs of movement, other than Jar'tak, his gren'ga, moving around the pin franticly. Something must have set him off. A movement in the shadows to the left of the barn caught his eye. Opening the door quickly, he moved out to the porch, and quickly, but quietly shut the house door behind him. Crouching, he move off the porch to the cover of the nearby wagon. He looked over the wagon towards the barn. No movement, and no sound. He reached for his blade, and carefully pulled it from it's sheath. Holding it in front of him, he bowed his head until his forehead touched the back of the blade.

Praying he whispered "May the God's forgive me should I have to kill to protect what they have given me."

A standard prayer used when lethal force is about to be used. Keeping as low as he could, he moved from behind the wagon to the fence of the gren'ga pin. Jar'tak, sensing his masters presence was near, came over to the fence and started nuzzling at it. Reaching through the fence, Kalrin rubbed the Jar'tak's nose until he finally seemed to settle down. Kalrin listened, he could hear movement at the side of the barn. Quietly he stood up and moved towards the edge of the barn. Peering around the corner he looked. A figure, somewhat hunched over was moving slowly towards the other end of the barn.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Kalrin commanded. Coming around the corner holding this blade ready.

The shadowy figure stopped. But did not move to turn around and face him.

"If you have taken anything of mine, drop it right now and leave, and I won't hurt you." Kalrin said taking a step towards the figure.

"So you are the mighty Kalrin?" came the voice of the shadowy figure that sounded hoarse and a little out of breath.

"Who's asking?" Kalrin asked a little confused, but not lowing his guard.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you must get your wife and child out of here and into the caves of the Larak Hills at once!" the figures voice sounded strained and excited.

"Oh really? And why would I take them there?"

He had barely finished his question when the air started to fill with a shrill sound.

"That is why..."

The sound was getting louder with each passing moment, Kalrin looked around trying to figure out it's source. It sounded like it was coming from... above? Looking up he caught a glimpse of a shadow flying over head, then another.

"What are they!?" Kalrin shouted over the noise. He looked back to where the figure was only to find he was shouting at nothing.

Cursing under his breath, Kalrin spun around and ran back to the house. Nearly breaking the door off it's hinges, he burst into the house.

"LARALIL!" He shouted as he went to the storage closet.

"What is it!? What is that noise?" Laralil met him as he approached the closet. "Is it the... the..." she couldn't finish.

"I don't know what it is. Here." he said as he handed her a lantern and some matches. And then some blankets. "Get Shoda, and grab whatever other supplies you can and get to the storm shelter under the barn ok?"

"But what about you? Aren't you going with us?" She was nearly in tears and very close to panicking.

"I am going to the War Hall in town and see if this is an attack we can defend against. If nothing else, I can make sure people can escape if there is an attack." He said as he closed the closet and headed for the bed room.

"But you can't leave us... what if it's the... THEM! Shouldn't we go to the caves like The Age..."

"DAMN THE SILITH AND DAMN THE AGELESS ONE!" Shouted as he turned to Laralil who had followed him into the bed room, hands stuffed with blankets and lanterns. "Now listen to me, Laralil, that shelter is just as safe as any cave on this whole planet. It has supplies and it can be locked from the inside so no one can get in. You and Shoda can last days..." He stopped.

Laralil's eyes pleaded with him, and were now flowing with tears. Karlin took a breathe.

"We all can last days down there if we need to. Now I need you to be strong and do what I ask ok?" He said as he put his arms around her and squeezed her as tightly as the blankets between them would allow.

"How long will you be?" Laralil said as she sat down on the bed and rearranged the bundles of blankets in her arms.

"Hopefully not too long..." he said as he opened the closet door and fumbled around inside.

After a few muttered curses, he emerged with the trunk. Setting it down outside the closet he quickly unlatched the top and opened it up. The familiar smell of leather filled the room. Quickly grabbing the first piece his hand touched he stood up and pulled the leather over his head, holding his arms high so the heavy leather chest piece would rest squarely on him. It still fit him like the day it was made. He quickly reached for the leather straps on the side to tighten them up a bit, but he found his hands were shaking so bad he couldn't grasp the elusive straps. He was starting to get frustrated when another pair of hands appeared and carefully but quickly tightened up the straps on his side. Grabbing the next piece of armor, Laralil, placed the gauntlet on his arm.

It didn't take long to put on the armor. After the last piece was in place and secured tightly, he turned to Laralil.

"You know what to do right?"

Laralil nodded, but said nothing.

"Daddy?" the little girl shuffled into the room, holding her stuffed gren'ga toy tightly in one hand, while trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes with the other.

"Hey my little gren'ga. I need you to do something for daddy." He said as he walked over and picked up Shoda.

"Daddy, why are you wearing your armor." she was starting to wake up more now as fear crept into her voice.

"Listen honey, I need you to be a big girl and go with mommy to the shelter, ok? You do exactly what mommy tells you ok?" He said looking her in the eyes.

"Ok..." she said submissively.

"That's my girl. I love you." He said kissing her on the head and putting her down.

"I love you too Daddy." She said as she walked over to Laralil who sat on the bed.

"Laralil..." he started but found it hard to continue.

"I know my love. I love you. Go quickly and come back as soon as you can." She said standing up wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Laralil I..."

Screams filled the air. Screams so loud that they nearly drowned out the sound of the flying objects. He looked out the window of the bed room, he could see the city stirring now as lights and torches were being lit. He looked back at Laralil. She nodded.

With out a word he ran from the room. Sprinting through the house, he was at a dead run by the time he reached the, still open, front door. The screams were getting louder, and the sounds of the objects over head continued as he ran towards the gren'ga pin. Grabbing the saddle and reigns he threw them over fence into the pin. He quickly saddled up Jar'tak. Jar'tak who, seeing and smelling the leather armor that Kalrin wore along with the screams, was getting very excited. He had been into battles countless times with Kalrin and could tell that that time was once again at hand. The last strap done, Kalrin opened the pin and hopped up on Jar'tak. Making three clicks with his mouth, Kalrin spurred Jar'tak into a full gallop. As they made there way towards the city, Kalrin looked over his shoulder at his house.

"God's protect them..." he whispered.

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Har'shal - The head priest or spritiual leader. They preform all the tribal ceremonies.