The Exiled Aslignhain

By MJ Bird

Centuries on the mainland, 1,500 years in exile, and now living in Northberry for the past ten years.

For over a thousand years spent in exile, he wandered alone. Battled through the ages to an unknown end. Now a derelict to those around him, a stranger to his son, a ghost to his partner, a terror to his people, a nightmare not easily forgotten.

Now the Exiled One returns, the one of the yellow eyes, to reclaim his shrouded identity. The long-lost Immortal Warrior.

Not all rejoice in discovering that he is still alive; after all, they executed him.

His reappearance comes at the time that the races of the Oblengartes are on the brink of an all-out war with one another, and the return of Prince Drakan only marks the beginning of their end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Sep 5, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491884973

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© 2014 M J Bird. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/03/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-8496-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-8497-3 (e)

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Prelude: The Aslignhains

Chapter One A New Life Starts With A Death

Chapter Two Without Warning

Chapter Three What the Sharackara Dragged In

Chapter Four Falen’s Children

Chapter Five The Judge, Jury and Executioner

Chapter Six Our Oblengartes

Chapter Seven The Keeper of the Fool

Chapter Eight The Fool that fooled a Fool

Chapter Nine The Fall of Terrahuala

Chapter Ten The Sword at Dawn

Chapter Eleven Baby Deatara the Blue Eyed Beauty

Chapter Twelve Like Father like Son

Chapter Thirteen Meeting of the Immortals

Chapter Fourteen The Detrelian Bear Queen

Chapter Fifteen The Brothers of Night’s Obelisk

Chapter Sixteen Meeting of Dluffs

Appendix: Language of Oblengartes.

Prelude

The Aslignhains

Nearing the end of my time there have been many great stories and epic tales that had echoed history and shaken our magnificent world but this story is now only a mere myth that has stood the test of time and death… the myth of Aslignhain, the first Archaic One. The story starts thousands of years in the past where a race once existed, not in exile but thriving, growing and dominant over everything that dared to move or breathe… particularly the breed of human called Marelians who we took great pleasure in dispatching. The Marelians unlike ourselves, the Aslignhains are in fact wingless, the four limb impaired mammals who walk on two feet upon the ground with dangerous levels of intelligence lacking common sense to respect it. They are barely capable of even their intolerable pissel speech and even then they twist it up, they also breed like vermin that feed on, and infest Oblengartes, our planet under billions of stars complete with ten moons in orbit in a beautiful sapphire sky.

Unlike the Marelians we are winged masters of the sky and air, our ancestors were once called the Archaic Ones. We are now the Aslignhains crafted and guided by teachings of the greatest and last Archaic One, set for us by his example, our way. In the dark time before the rise of the letter, my people were un-civilised, unorganised, and unruly. There were many individual tribes that fought constantly with each for dominance, this weakened them, and made them easier to conquer in the end.

Aslignhain, he was the first to be able to conquer and dominate the individual tribes. He rose from the ashes of his decimated burning village to start his dictatorial course through our history, starting with his partner, Belocain. He saw her once and wanted her forever, she had a forceful desire to have and to hold him for eternity. Her father on the other wing was the first Archaic One to deny Aslignhain what he wanted and he was the first to be destroyed by the fire Aslignhain left in his wake.

Belocain was Aslignhains muse, lover and partner, this drove him to fight and conquer Archaic tribe after tribe until he sat on the throne of power in the mighty realm of Leavinrack, in the very stone walls of the great palace Jorasnack in the centre of the capital city of Neverack. Aslignhain and Belocain were immediately made themselves forceful and unmovable monarchs.

In the honour of his almighty triumph, or more to the point under threat of death, the Archaic Ones were made to renounce their previous primitive pasts and to leave them behind, if not they would be killed, but those of the race who agreed were renamed after our all-mighty saviour, conqueror and king. Forever we would be called Aslignhains, proud to fight and to die for our, name, honour and glory.

When Aslignhain made himself king those conquered tribes were made into powerful Aslignhainic states, miniature realms made from a collective of towns and villages each with their own governors who loyally served Aslignhain and the realm of Leavinrack making it rich, fat and unquestionable in the faces of all the other races of creatures, leaving their own realms falling in glamour to Leavinrack.

With the mighty states growing by the minute and Leavinrack rising to its further glory, Aslignhain had built an Empire out of sheer strength of leadership from nothing.

There are seven major races including ours on Oblengartes, like a tree, each race of creature has started small as a seed that grew into a large tree which branch out far and wide. The races have indeed grown great over the years. Those trees over time have made more factions and divisions like so many branches and leaves. Once our civilisation was the greatest that covered our world with celebrated cities, towns and fortifications that made every other living thing that also inhabited our world look minuscule and feeble in comparison to the our might and magnificence. As we grew so did our arrogance, corruption, and deception, as time swiftly passed these vices festered and grew inside ourselves like an uncontrollable ivy vine twisting and tearing itself around the tree of our race.

When Aslignhain and Belocain gave birth to their first child, she was a beautiful female, with yellow eyes. Aslignhain for the first time actually felt vindicated in all of his previous actions that led up to the birth of his first child, he was no longer the last yellow eyed Aslignhain and henceforth formed the Yellow Eyed Dynasty, our only true royal house. The realm was to be ruled by a yellow eyed Aslignhain. He hoped by enforcing that rule he could keep the flickering flame of the yellow eyes alive for generations. Ever since the birth of that female only a yellow eyed Aslignhain could take the title King or Queen of the Aslignhains. Even though until recently there were many that would have argued against that law.

The realm of Leavinrack is the only true Aslignhainic realm in Oblengartes with her many moons for company. The capital city under Aslignhain’s rule was a utopia once but its name remains the same, Neverack. It was once the beacon of our might, intelligence and our resilience to submit or ever be subservient.

Neverack literally glowed, leaving the other Aslignhainic cities to utterly fail in their comparison to its glory. The city was named by its previous inhabitants because they believed in their ignorance that their capital could not be taken or reached by any enemy… the fools… they were huddled up in fear when they saw Aslignhains horde as they harried the walls and broke down the fortified doors of the palace of Jorasnack using nothing but raw air and an unquenchable fire in their hearts. As the previous inhabitants looked on the leader of their besiegers, they then knew how and why they had come to this miserable end… they soon knew their fatal mistake, for they had left one yellow eyed Aslignhain alive, in his burning village… alone with his thoughts.

Over eons of time our history proved time and time again that yellow eyed Aslignhains showed to have more of a tendency to deeper malevolence, sadism and vindictive traits when compared to others. One female set the almighty bar and was merciless to say the least. Princess Serama, was malevolent, sadistic, and prideful to which she gave more horrific definitions to the words.

Before the Eleventh Era there had been battles between the states that were swiftly ended resulting in many deaths to the disloyal and disobedient. As Aslignhains we constantly had disagreements with each other and other races that sometimes would result in open war on the horizon. There had always been a compromise to preserve the peace in the end.

The civil war was a different breed of warfare the likes of which any Aslignhain could not comprehend or imagine, but one did. The real question is how one or two minds could create this evil that scarred and bloodied our history for little over one hundred years.

The Civil War was brutal and harsh, a subject that many Aslignhains must learn in teachings to the extent of becoming twisted and warped to its wickedness. Civil, there was nothing civil about it! Street fights, fight in homes, brother on brother, father against son, it was sheer hell that had been crafted by an abominable Aslignhain!

This Aslignhain was obsessed with gaining revenge on the Yellow Eyed Dynasty. He was always close to King Dontai since long before his grand coronation. Instead of taking revenge he waited for many agonising years for the right time to strike the King down. The name of the abominable Aslignhain in question you would dare ask was a male called Falen. He made a plan that he followed to the letter, to put the plan into action. He first bought all of the governing Aslignhainic states from their easily corruptible Governors with the king’s own money. With the states in Falen’s pocket and under his control he accused these traitorous Governors of treason. The king naturally trusted Falen and allowed their execution. Falen was given new powers to appoint new ones. Replaced them he did with his own loyal and despicable servants to ensure future loyalty and incorruptibility. The king was unknowing about any of it, his missing money, lack of resources coming into his capital or the mass deaths, all he knew and wanted was his bed to be constantly warmed with many females, animals to be hunted, ales to be drunk and for his partner Queen Alisa not to disturb him.

To Falen it was delicious to further insult the King, he had many sordid depraved affairs with all of the female courtiers whenever it suited his fancy. He finally grew even bolder and started a long standing affair with the Queen of Leavinrack Alisa I ‘The Wild’ who was so titled by the King who named himself ‘The Tamer’, pathetic you may think, he had it written and documented for all time.

As we are ageless, a set time was established for a maximum allowance of time a monarch can sit on their throne. That defines them as monarchies and not tyrants or dictators. The set time for a reign is one-hundred and fifty years which is enough time to place your mark on our history, create offspring, choose an heir and finally safeguard the future of the dynasty by leading by example especially in your later years to make those examples stick into the minds and hearts of your followers. Falen, having plenty of time stole more of the realm’s money to eventually purchase the Yellow Dynasty’s Army from the realm into his own service for he personally had the resources to keep them fed, watered and paid not to mention the amount of debaucheries that played well in their so-easily plucked heart strings. Leavinrack’s City Guards, including the King’s Guard were all purchased with pretty pennies for a nice and tidy price leaving Falen now in complete control of them, he even charged the realm for their services under a false title.

This vindictive and cruel Aslignhain could have killed the king and have had his revenge at any time but no, he waited and planned his revenge until the sweetest moment. As the maximum time you can have to reign as a monarch is a hundred and fifty years he played out his plan to the final year to cause the maximum damage.

King Dontai I ‘The Tamer’ was a fighter not a ruler and certainly not a warrior like his fabled son. He knew he was not suitable to rule and did not care for he had his own interests. He gave Falen the power to rule his realm as the Prime Minister from the date of his coronation. Dontai took this reckless course of action so that he could spend his time doing something what he thought was worthwhile, like hunting for animals and whores. The insolent bastard was so idiotic and his irresponsible actions during his entire reign lasted a miserable one-hundred and forty-nine years. He had not realised that his realm was impoverished, starving and dying. He had not realised that the states no longer served Leavinrack. It was only when Falen made an unexpected and rushed attempt on Dontai’s life did he finally know. Falen had Dontai on his back with his knife in hand to the king’s neck, right then and there is when he finally told the senseless King Dontai everything. All from his first act that was the purchasing of the previous Governors including their states, to his final act, the personal execution of Dontai’s partner and Queen, Alisa I. He had framed the Marelians knowing that the king would see fit to slaughter them wherever they may be.

Those brief moments the king laid defenceless he saw his entire reign for what it was. Falen was clever, devious, and vindictive to the letter, he had fooled everyone and had created a means to war, a war that would never be forgotten, a war that would forever scar the Twelfth Era, a war that would live on in our hearts in infamy for all of our generations to come… only to lead to a world at war that would have torn itself apart if it was not for a select few.

Prince Drakanicnov saved his father, the king’s life by tearing Falen off his father and into the wings of the Guards who then escorted Falen out of the palace, then the city with the entire garrison of guards and the stationed armies. He gloated as he left the Neverack leaving it defenceless from abroad and home.

Falen’s actions resulted in the States becoming fat, rich, and enormous, like a parasite feeding from its host. Every Aslignhainic State from south to north, east to west of our world had become his own to command against the shell and husk that was now Leavinrack, yet Falen did nothing, he thought it was fitting to watch Leavinrack suffer more.

Leavinrack had dwindled and its Aslignhains were reduced to poverty, depravity and thievery. The realm had turned almost as though over night from a utopia to a dismal hovel, although its king would not see it from the life he led, only when he fell he saw what it now was. The Aslignhains changed with the state of Leavinrack and deceit grew in the city of Neverack amongst its residents who sensed the change in power and wanted to favour by any means necessary those they thought had the power to survive. The desperate Aslignhains of the cities of Leavinrack became twisted in their bitterness of the tyranny of their terrible day to day lives.

The civil war that would plague the Twelfth Era was only initiated when Princess Serama first born and heir to the Yellow Dynasty rose like an almighty wave to bring the right order, power and prosperity back to Leavinrack. Peace was not an option for she was too much like her mother in heart and mind.

King Dontai was alive and in disgrace he was relieved to be reminded that his reign was soon to be over, at this he was most pleased to pass on his responsibilities to his heir and the Twelfth Era starting with the new monarch. An era is defined to the standing amount of time spent on the throne. Princess Serama was supposed to take Leavinrack and her place as Queen. After seeing the dismal state of her realm and birthright, she wanted her father’s head on her nightstand for his incompetence. Instead of taking Leavinrack she swore an oath that she would not take the realm until Falen and all loyal to him were torn to pieces under her rule. King Dontai would be forced to wear her crown, for only if she returned successful would she then take her crown from Dontai’s removed head. It was her style, she told him face to face at her would-be coronation witnessed by all her siblings, courtiers, her future husband.

To raise money for her campaign she sold everything from livestock, Wings, her prized Sharackaras, Dragadorias and horses, elegant clothing, jewels, her small plot of her own land, her future husband was sold to a wealthy aristocrat along with her remaining, estates and investments.

Princess Serama gave half of her wealth raised to Leavinrack in hope that it would in time heal. With the last half she started a conscription army which had never been heard of or done before her. Serama’s army consisted of street urchins, ruffians, and thieves that she forcefully drove into the armies of those traitorous Aslignhainic States that had turned their wings up on Leavinrack and the Yellow Eyed Dynasty. She had many brothers and sisters, some were fabled, others well renown, the first of these are the triplets. Prince Vincentia, a tall regal wisp of an Aslignhain, Princesses Vercella and Verindrel, identical sisters only identifiable by their eyes, one of orange and the others’ of red, both lean, slender and deadly. Prince Mallano looks much like his father and was a brute of an Aslignhain, heavy and slow, a strong fighter. Prince Ataia a well-built Aslignhain and lastly Prince Drakan who was an unusual build for a male, tall slender like his sisters although muscular, a male who could hold his own against both brutes, wisps and everything in-between. They were all given roles of generals as they were the strongest in might and mind, left in Leavinrack to serve with prestige. Drakan is loyal, to above all Veronica his partner, he was the only royal to stand up and oppose the war by immediately disbanding his army, Serama was furious by Drakan’s decision but would not openly fight him for she needed to preserve her strength.

The Princesses Vercella and Verindrel had armour specially crafted and forged for them as Generals for the Sabres, they were an elite fierce fighting group consisting of only twins, formed by themselves, for they knew how valuable the assets of twins could hold on the battlefield. The Princesses were valued above all others in Serama’s mind until, after one ferocious battle she feared for their lives and ordered both Princesses to return to the palace for safe keeping but assigned the task to keep and maintain the realm in her absence as she trusted them but did not trust her father as the keeper of her birthright.

Every Aslignhainic State and city that fought for Falen would soon face Serama. The weakest of which were immediately obliterated by her. The strongest cities and fortifications were broken, breached and annihilated by her might and her army. The Aslignhains that survived the carnage and destruction were now her targets for her malice, hatred, and her sadistic ways. Her enemies that survived the bloodshed of battle only had her to face next and none survived her ways.

King Dontai still ruled over Leavinrack only as a figurehead whilst the realm was under the direct rule of the Princesses. It soon grew back to its former glory after only a few trying years. The Princesses were hailed healers and heroes of the great realm with encouragement and love flooding to Serama from her Aslignhains, as did endless supplies, arms and Aslignhains to fight and die for her name and cause. Serama pushed forever forward and hard with her loyal fighters at her every command through her tireless campaign. To Serama this campaign and war was to prove that she and she alone was only true heir to the Yellow Eyed Dynasty. Drakan, her younger brother was the second heir of yellow eyes. She liked to think that the campaign was but a trial to be completed to prove herself to her Aslignhains. In the surreal depths of her mind, clouding her judgment was the fact that she had been incredibly insulted by Falen’s actions and desired retribution at any cost, including her own life. Dontai on the other wing, she would also have his head when the time came for her return, he knew and feared this above all else which led him to move his own pawn into play which was Prince Drakan.

In the chaos and destabilisation of the war the majority of the Marelian populace were massacred as a direct result of our revulsion towards them. Marelians were primitive compared to us and were not seen as anything else. They could not withstand our weaponry or prowess in battle, we knew this and yet we continued in our monstrous endeavours. Although Dontai now knew that the Marelians were not responsible for Queen Alisa’s death, he did not tell his children for he already knew how much he had failed them and did not want to accept yet another failing on his part leaving the Marelians to bear the brunt of his grieving children for they hated the Marelians thinking that they slaughtered their mother, when in fact they had not.

The civil war, I will say again, there was nothing civil about it. We turned into animals. Unthinkable and unimaginable damage was not only done to the Marelians, but everything else that lived on our world suffered too. The only reasons they were not nearly as devastated by the war like we Aslignhains was that they did not actively involve themselves, or fight, not even to defend those who could not do so, that is because they did not seek destruction at their own hands on a level of such magnitude. They effectively stood back and watched the Aslignhains slaughter each other and the Marelians got caught in the crossfire, the other races watched like the vultures they are, to feast on the carcass of Oblengartes when we would eventually destroy ourselves.

The once great Aslignhainic states simply dissolved and were removed from the face of our world, along with all its civilians who were innocent to its valiant defenders that stood their ground in resilience to their attackers. Right or wrong, they fought to the death as true Aslignhains at the wings of their kin… both parties did their duty and paid the price owed. The Aslignhainic cities, towns and villages were more than ravaged by Serama’s forces when they were raided. She herself did not care for she waited patiently for her forces to finish their dark deeds, then, city or town or village was set on fire as an ultimate punishment with those innocents thrown in alive. Serama was always known to favour Marelian towns and cities as her own personal vendetta for she purely saw then as vermin ripe to be eradicated, more to the wingtip she wanted revenge on them at any cost in payment for a charge they were not responsible for.

Horizon’s Peak was the northern most Aslignhainic city that was left to last to defend itself against Serama’s forces and the last Aslignhain city to be sacked and ravaged, then it was finally burnt. Her personal army had started in the thousands originally, now only fifty remained but after all the fighting and bloodshed they were forever altered, hardened, cruel, merciless and hate-filled. The city was soon only home to the bodies of its soldiers that littered the street, there were many more Aslignhain citizens than soldiers dead within the city’s once magnificent buildings that were utterly destroyed, crumbling, smouldering. The ones that were still on fire were as rocks amongst a sea of dead.

Since Falen left Leavinrack he had made his own dynasty and declared himself king of his own Aslignhains nestled in Impphuala. He saw the empire he had stolen destroyed, now knowing defeat was imminent. His serpent mind now reluctantly desired a truce. He and his wife Demalia met with Princess Serama in the ruins of Horizon’s Peak to try and find a reasonable ground to discuss a possible ceasefire, for surrender is not in the Aslignhain vocabulary. He unlike his wife was sure that a ceasefire was not an option in Serama’s mind. He was right, for Serama wanted blood and told him so only inches from his face. Like her mother, holding no fear what so-ever only a subtle madness remained in her valiant heart, she just wanted blood now above all else.

On the contrary Demalia wanted peace and proceeded down a dangerous path to ensure it. Serama impatiently heard what Demalia had to say. She was adamant that Impphuala should be turned over to herself as Falen had previously annexed it, and he should be executed along with every member of his family and every Aslignhain left alive that was ever loyal to him.

Demalia argued that the Sharackarian homeland belonged to the Sharackaras and not to the Aslignhains that are loyal to King Falen. She also demanded that Princess Serama withdrew any thought of further mass executions.

You would have to remember Demalia’s likeness through Veronica, her eldest daughter, for she was instantly killed by Serama as a demonstration of her power. Prince Drakan landed in the ruins of Horizon’s Peak as Demalia was stricken to the ground hitting it stone dead having her heart torn to shreds inside her chest from the sudden impact and incision from Serama’s strong and sharp wingtips. As he saw Demalia fall he then turned swiftly on her and electrocuted her on the spot leaving her screaming and convulsing until she violently died, now leaving her personal army in uproar. They were also quickly left in ruin in the streets amongst their fallen victims. By Drakan’s raw lightning they were all avenged. He had saved Falen’s life and for that Drakan demanded that he would have to sign ‘The Aslignhainic Amnesty’ which covered many terms and agreements. The Amnesty was drawn up by Prince Drakan and sealed with the royal stamp of Leavinrack and this agreement prolonged peace between King Falen and King Dontai. It came at a high price for the two dynasties and the other Aslignhainic realms that had been created throughout the course of the war became safe havens for those who would otherwise be persecuted without reason. This was against King Dontai’s wishes who wanted Princess Serama, King Falen and Queen Demalia dead by his son’s wings. Drakan instead chose peace for his partner and lover.

Alas as Princess Serama future monarch in our history was seen as a saviour whereas with Prince Drakan on the other wing was seen as the monster and was hatred and feared.

The reason for this outright lie was because our records of the war were written by Aslignhains, Aslignhains who needed to answer the most important questions: ‘Who was the Aslignhain that was guilty and responsible for all the hideous war crimes and atrocities that befell so many Marelians and Aslignhains?’ The historians were ordered not to name that the future Queen had committed all of these acts for it would dirty her title and name. So the historians placed Serama’s acts on Drakan by request of King Dontai, for at the time Drakan had been executed and thought to be dead, so there was no harm in using him as a scapegoat. Nevertheless King Dontai had a personal grudge on his son. We Aslignhains now see Drakan as nothing more then a hideous monster. He is now the stuff of nightmares we tell our children to keep them in line and out of trouble. There are some however that know the truth.

King Falen was able to stay in Impphuala as a guest by Sharackarian Na-Varg’s leave and King Dontai was able to keep his realm, Leavinrack forever as a punishment. The peace was only created because Drakan personally drew the amnesty up using his strength as an incentive to keep the peace between the two Kings. He himself may not have acted horrifically to the innocents, however any soldier, allied or enemy who was willing to lose themselves into vices of war had to offer, he would destroy them without a word, he would act on a rapid impulse which was one of the most terrifying aspects of him, that fear kept them inline. Prince Drakan was an admirable and honourable Aslignhain. Upon his return journey home from Horizon’s Peak. Prince Veranne hunted and targeted Drakan and intentionally picked a fight with him. Drakan defended himself, unfortunately he killed Prince Veranne first son to King Falen effectively breaking the amnesty with a new war that was imminently on the horizon. Drakan regretted his actions not through the fear of a break in peace with a threat of war but Prince Veranne was his friend, and he killed him. Drakan did not grieve or morn and could have hidden the body so that no one would ever know of what had befallen Prince Veranne. Drakan was a lot of things in the eyes of many but a lowlife murderer he was not. Drakan wrapped up Veranne’s body and brought him back to his father to be buried traditionally.

King Falen wanted a reason to break the Amnesty and now he had one. Drakan knew this and wanted to stop king Falen from causing another war. Drakan did just that, he held up his wings and took responsibility for every act that any Aslignhain had committed during the war and included the killing of Prince Veranne. Only to preserve the peace he would lay down his own life. In a literal sense Drakan had in fact died as a martyr for all of us, although it would not be told like that in our history. Kings Dontai and Falen should have done what Prince Drakan had done however they would never admit that for it would eternally mark their own names to our pages of history.

Chapter One

A New Life Starts With A Death

This is where my story starts…

A male Aslignhain was lying on a beach staring up in wonder at another, a Marelian man wearing nothing but brown stained rags. Although the Aslignhain is naked, the Marelian seemed to be more primitive in nature when compared. The Marelian had grown up in a culture that fears and loathes Aslignhains.

The Aslignhain lying prone was Prince Drakan only hours after his death sentence was carried out by King Falen. Drakan had been bonded to a marble slab and thrown into the sea to drown, this was a Valerian Slow-death only ever used by Aslignhains once, to Drakan for his claimed offences were so extensive there was no clear punishment so-befitting. He was lying on the beach with no idea who he was, how he got there or any idea about his partner Veronica who was expecting his first child, his son who would one day become the honoured Brakeanov.

The Marelian glared down at Drakan as he smiled back in a pleasant response, only to then have the ragged man suddenly thrust his sharpened spear into Drakan’s rib cage, for he was looking down at an Aslignhain the most dangerous creatures on Oblengartes. Drakan gawked confused as the blood poured out from the fresh wound. The pain, it was nothing out of the ordinary to him. Then, distracted by another man’s shouting, the ragged man quickly turned around only to be then stricken in the back with his own spear by Drakan’s steady hand.

As the man keeled over onto the sands dead, Drakan rose up from to ground with his wound completely healed. The spear was grasped tightly in his right hand. The ragged man had dropped like a lead weight onto the blood drenched sands and laid lifelessly by Drakan’s feet. He looked down at the dead man with no pity or remorse. His head then rose in the stifling heat and noticed many men running towards him. He looked at the spear as it glistened with wet blood, then he noticed they were travelling quickly and fast approaching him. He darkly grinned, gripped his spear tightly before determinedly charging into them all.

The reason the first man had attacked Drakan, was to claim his broad red wings that were vastly outstretched for they were gigantic. We inflicted so much devastation to the Marelians they remembered us for generations through tales, tales that now have died into nothingness, at that time as a Marelian if you could claim an Aslignhains’ wings it was a great claim of valour to their people. Of course it would have been done to catch the eyes of the opposite sex, it always comes down to that, always…

Drakan in time settled in a small primitive Detrelian settlement. He lived in the farming village as a fellow Detrelian. Our body types are quite different indeed because Detrelians are extremely tall as giants, robust and without wings whilst we Aslignhains have wings our most defining feature, yet we are shorter with a smaller build. The Detrelians saw through Drakan’s disguise yet allowed him knowing he was an Aslignhain to live among them because he had a most valuable skill the likes of which none of the natives had, and it was very valuable to them so they allowed him to stay. Drakan still did not remember who or what he was. He knew that he was not a Marelian and definitely not a Detrelian. He was ever so grateful that the Detrelians took him in that he always kept his broad wings sheathed as to not flaunt them about in the faces of his saviours so he could live in peace with them as a very gifted farmer. The Detrelians did not know who exactly he was and could not have cared less because they believed that our world is big enough without being alone in it. He desired to live in peace and peace is what he got, even a cute Aslignhain female in time.

Sadly peace never reigns supreme and eventually war finds a way. The village was destroyed by no other than some Aslignhains from Impphuala, Drakan although amazed to see them he did not attempt to approach them or even fight the invaders off for they looked far superior to him. The contribution of fear and the unbeknown of who he was, he never attempted to stop the invaders, of course he could have done that very easily but he did not, and he allowed them to do what they liked. As Aslignhains our only differences to Marelians and Detrelians are our wings, flight, the ability to mould air for our own needs, differences in sheer strength, agelessness and vibrant eye colours that attract our prey to their doom.

Drakan learned what it was like to be a simple Marelian rather than an Aslignhain Prince, to be a Detrelian it was more of a religion or a cult rather than a life of free will.

A long time after the village was destroyed Drakan had travelled from Marelian settlement to settlement never staying long. Years had passed and Drakan was not even a shell of the Aslignhain that woke up on the beach. Always were his wings sheathed, he almost forgotten that he had them. One sunny day whilst Drakan was travelling to another settlement he was ambushed by a group of Marelians in large abandoned wheatfield. There were only four Marelian males from the last settlement he had visited who followed him out for his riches and his black sword. Each looter stood apart surrounding Drakan with grizzly leers, thuggish behaviour and a smell that could turn a Sharackara bold. The Aslignhain in him retook hold of his body after so many years of being a pacifist. His wings tore from his back, magnificent in red with the talons keen as ever instinctively decapitated the raiders to his left and right simultaneously. Drakan’s right hand summoned his black sword out of its sheath and swung the sword skyward through the Marelian at his face. Turning sideways and bringing the sword down in a severe angle. He had lopped the head clean off the attacker on his rear killing the four, swiftly turning the field of gold into a ruby river. His blood pumped through his body beholding what he had done and with what. Two gigantic wings only completed by two blades of their own and he himself gripping a wonderful sword that pounded as his own heart thumped in his chest. The truth hit him then, and he mourned greatly. He was indeed one of those creatures that destroyed his Detrelian home a long time ago, and he was much greater than they were.

Drakan walked through that long field with his wings hung proud and his sword to hand. He decided to serve those who he lived with from their enemies with his new found fighting abilities. All the time in their company he would remain wing-less which is a discipline and also very painful. Wherever necessary he would wear Marelian armour and clothes given to him, then he served forever more making history in their realm as the fabled Immortal Warrior for he could not be killed by age or man. The first piece of armour he wore was made out of animal skins with a rough cut sword of bronze. In the fiery heat of battle Drakan swiftly moved from fight to fight tearing and ripping his enemies to pieces to spill them on the battlefield. He freed his allies from their fatal affrays with a simple swing or slice of his blade. On the frontline of a brutal battle, was now Drakan’s home, and comfort zone.

In another battle, much later in time Drakan was proudly wearing chainmail with markings depicting his rank and class as a Marelian soldier. He was armed with a keen sword forged from iron and he had single wingedly taken the walls of a magnificent Marelian city, allowing it to finally fall to him and his allies defying not only the city’s inhabitants but also his fellow Commanders, for all thought that the walls could not be breached or taken by no matter size of force or machinery. They had not counted on an Aslignhainic Prince with wings, yes he used his wings from time to time when needs must although he was careful about it.

In Mountains’ Pass a region of the realm of Mountains’ Rest, Drakan’s camp had been overrun by Detrelians, much broader, stronger and hardy than Marelians. Those of Mountains’ Rest are the strongest, cleverest, well-prepared and more resourceful than any other of their race. Outmatched, outnumbered and outflanked there was no victory only death to be found, even with good odds, Mountains’ Rest is protected by more than mortals. Drakan, and three companions like himself stood their ground allowing the wounded soldiers to escape out of the region through the lower hills to the coast. The camp was burning all around them, the four of them charged into the woodland to escape their enemies. They ran and ran, over logs, through bushes, thorns, streams and down ravines. All four Aslignhains were running through the dense wild forest in a full set of chainmail equipped with heavy swords. They were tired from the fight and the running was taking more than its toll on them. Once again they then stood their ground and chopped their pursuers up to leave them as feed for the tree roots.

Their Detrelian pursuers were considered wild axe bearing barbarians who were strong, sturdy and unorganised. Those of the realm of Mountains’ Rest are allowed to ride Dragadorias, a ravenous, intelligent, gigantic canine race that have the ability to communicate with Pawral, Dragadorian and body language. Fortunately they were not called into battle for they would have made short work of all who would dare trespass. A male in the Aslignhain company was the first to fall to the floor protecting his female partner from a blow of a rough axe. Drakan saw him fall and with his sword in hand he turned and sliced all responsible entwine. He then grasped his fellow’s sword with his left hand unleashed his wings and went berserk on the barbarians. Drakan gutted the men with the swords and used his razor wing tips to butcher others to death. Our wings can be more bludgeoning than any Warhammer’s stroke, and more lethal than any swipe from a keen sword with our deadly sharpened bone at the tip of the wing.

Years had passed in the blink of Drakan’s yellow eyes from that miserable day in the woods having been once again left alone. He could remember his life in the Marelian realm with remarkable recollection, still some less significant days were lost in his deep mind, unfortunately he could not recollect where he was from or who he was prior to that day on the beach. He had been curious about his wings, eyes, the ability to heal rapidly and his agelessness, as the Marelians died all around him and he would remain alive, this drove him to the brink of insanity. Until, he again met her, a woman that was like him, an Aslignhain with lilac wings yet she also did not seem to know who he and what she was, they were as two lost souls that became acquainted and very close together for a number of years until she one day disappeared, leaving him heart broken and destroyed causing him to become a derelict for many years. Sadly despite remembering many days in the Marelian realm he had forgotten that this same female and he had met many times previously whilst he was exiled in the Marelian realm. Every time that Drakan caught her gaze he fell in love with her all over again and when she disappears which she does an awful lot for her own reasons, the memories of her are so painful, that they are easily lost in his shattered mind for he cannot bear them. He always loves her from the moment he sees her. When they first met in the Marelian realm it was in the Detrelian village that was burnt and destroyed for she was with him at that time and he feared her lost along with the village being burnt. Back then he scavenged the wreckage of that village for weeks in agony trying to find her remains, she was not found. He did find a sword in her place. He found the sword in ash of jet black as he grasped the handle he knew it was his, for it sang to his soul. He was left alone for many more years before she again returned to him. He had something to remember her by although he did not know it. He was destined to remain alone in the Marelian realm unknown and unloved by others he lived and served with… for he was eternally beloved by his family that he did not know about.

The years had not been kind to Drakan, he had turned from a caring person to a hate filled creature. He became sunken and shrouded sitting in the corners of a many cloudy smoke filled taverns listening to other men, smoking, drinking, having fun and telling tales of famous battles long since gone. These drunkards recalled the heroes of old that fought in the battles who had become legends among the hearts of men. The Immortal Warrior, Drakan. Their very attitude in the ways that they portrayed those stories suggested that they were actually there in the fighting made Drakan’s point of view of them as a race twist and wane over time. As the ages went on for Drakan they were spent watching the Marelians developed into something he grew too loath.

Time moved on forever endless for him with only the Marelians that infuriated him for company. He had lived for centuries among them and did not age like they did. He had done very much, too much even for an Aslignhain. He often thought to himself on the long nights when he could not sleep what was the point to continue and why was it comfortable to him not to need sleep? This annoyed him, especially when he did not get answers. He one day decided to simply fade away out of all knowledge so that he could live in peace forever more without a care. So he decided to sail away one day to the capital city of the Western Marelian homeland, Chestnuthaven for a good and nice retirement, As a Marelian would say. There is however no rest for the wicked. First he got caught in a typhoon out at sea and survived it with the boat intact, only then to find it suspiciously sinking before him in the open Amber Coast to the far cold north by an hatchet striking the wooden hull of the boat. He could have flown away if he was quick enough, he was not, for he was examining the hatchet for much too long of a time. He was then washed from the deck into the freezing deeps of the ocean to then wash up on a beach holding in one hand his sword and the other a hatchet, on an oil-filmed coastline next to a city he did not intend to be however he chose to live there with the sole intention to lock himself away and fade to time, which he did not, she did not let him give up, she never did.

After many years of living in the Marelian realm of Trasnadoo Drakan became considerably wealthy amongst them, over his long life. He hardly deals with banks or Marelians and pays for everything in cash, as far as any governing body knows Drakan does not exist, but when he does, he uses a fake name for his own reasons.

Everything with monetary value sits in a large cave on a small island chain located north of Northberry, the Marelian city where he decided to live out the rest of his days. The cave itself is naturally hidden and cannot be found. Funnily enough the city he chose to live in was previously the ruin of Horizon’s Peak, the old Aslignhainic city where he killed his sister Serama almost two thousand years ago. The city of Northberry is a Marelian settlement with a population of 2,500,000. they should be glad of his residence for the likelihood of any Marelian survival would be nil after King Falen attacked it.

Era Thirteen 2001st year and to the Marelians it was the start of the twenty first century as Drakan had gained monetary stability over the years living on Oblengartes. He had purchased many buildings across the world, and he only ever saw the need to renovate and use only one. An old hotel that he, himself had paid to be transformed into luxury apartments for Marelians who have nothing. He is always careful to remain wingless when among Marelians but when he is not with them he allows his wings to flop onto the ground as it is comfortable. As Aslignhains we can manipulate our wings to become skin which perfectly sits on our backs out of sight and it makes us easier to blend in with Marelians when the need arises. That surely was not the original intended use, and like I said it is a discipline, a discipline that is hard enough to learn rather than master like Drakan has. It was a teaching that his mother graciously taught him at a young age, he was the only one she saw worthy enough to teach and her only child that she personally named after her father for she deemed him more favourable than any other of her offspring. In plain terms on command of thought our wings can return to their full feathery flawlessness or to a blanket of skin on our backs that mask our wing bones as not to be seen. Why did Drakan chose a Marelian settlement to live in over the idea of living by himself on a remote island far away from anything or anyone, is because in fact he is lonely, that is why he lives with, and allows other Marelians to do so in his building. After all he hardly needs money so he charges them very little rent with all monies gained given back into the apartments, yet by charging them rent every month it helped them for it gave them something to aim at each month, for you see his tenants were once vagabonds, tramps and other Marelians down on their luck who were given a chance to take it to redeem their lives. Does that sound like a Monster?

Drakan fits in amongst the Marelians. They see first his eyes but before I get to them, it is his long pale face that causes looks from passers-by for he resembles a corpse rather than something living. Our faces do differ from Aslignhain to Aslignhain like Marelians to one another. In comparison between us and them, there are no key defining points. He is considered tall, muscular and broad of build although he hides his physique under overly large t-shirts that are cut out at the back allowing his wings to move and free to manoeuvre without restriction when alone or flying. When outside he wears a large age bitten ex-Marelian-military black leather trench coat complete with the worn stripes that would be known amongst Commanders of Marelian soldiers, there is a discoloured crest of a rifle crossed with a shotgun accompanied by a faded title and lost slogan. On his feet he prefers to wear thick leather boots that have seen better days for they are scuffed and tarnished by time along with a bullet fragment moulded to the steel toe cap on the left side. He wore worn blue jeans, one of many pairs all complete with holes at the knees and faded dye, he sees fit to use one pair without cleaning them until they literally fall apart with over use. His vagabond-like style is not complete without his long, straight, sleek black hair accompanied with a reddish tint that does look more greased than glossy which it ought to be naturally, everything that was ever of regal bearing is gone apart from his flawless deep yellow eyes to which many have noticed, except few ever bring up the subject with Drakan directly. The ones that do get ignored for they are clearly making mischief at his expense which is radically unwise for a Marelian… however a wise Marelian would have no pulse. Drakan is an Aslignhain with similar views to mine and those who caught his attention are the kings of simpletons. One in particular did get his attention. Drakan first grasped her, then tied her up and finally tethered her upside down a thousand feet suspended from the ground by a Marelian flagpole. Of course to do it he showed her his magnificent wings… how else was he going to get her up that high, climb? Not our style. Contradictory to his present appearance his wing condition, which is of the very utmost importance amongst us Aslignhains for a variety of reasons. His are coloured in a potent ruby red at the top, and as the colour reaches the bottom of his wings the colour naturally blends lighter with a golden tips on each feather.

On the top floor of his building there are only two penthouses, one big, and the other small. The small one is where Drakan lives and where he has been living since before the turn of the century. Obviously he has an adopted false name to keep up his charade with the Marelians, effectively keeping a luxurious life high above the rest that lay beneath him for as an Aslignhain height is an superiority factor, the higher you are the better you are. It is however surprising why he allowed another to share his perch as it were, a Marelian female occupied the even bigger and more lavish room.

If any Marelians know Drakan, they just call him the Boy or Duncan, for in their placid ignorance they will say things like the Boy’s back again. The infuriating Marelians have not bothered to ask for his name, and he was more than content in avoiding interaction, and why should he? Not truly knowing but feeling that he is a higher being than the others around him it manifested to a physical point sometimes.

Drakan’s penthouse overlooked the busy main street where the Marelians of Northberry were running about in their daily lives. He at long last was bored with what life offered him. In his long life he had seen too much, done far too much and the days were just getting longer and longer. To occupy his time, he decided to try and spend as much time as he could bear trying to find out who he was or at least who are his people or who were they and if they were still around where are they now?

The days that were cloudy and grey Drakan spent his time flying just above the rain clouds hidden from the Marelians on the streets below and too low for passing aircraft to spot or see him. Strong hurricanes and typhoons on the other wing for Drakan were utter bliss as he tries to beat them in strength as he flies straight through them with ease feeling superior having not been overpowered by them.

During the days Drakan flies at every given opportunity because it is his only major outlet in his frustrating life. The reason he finally chose to live in Northberry was because it frequently received rain and clouds. When Drakan flies every negative feeling and emotion disappears into nothing and he feels free. What he found out one day flying was a cruel flashback of his previous life among the Aslignhains. That memory fresh and flashing in Drakan’s mind made him crash into the raging freezing waters below where he struggled to swim and was dragged by the currents and eventually washed up on the shores the following morning. Ever since that experience welcomed or no, it was a strong motivator to get himself out and to fly, it gave him a reason to live and to possibly see more visions. Eventually more and more strange faces and unusual places could be seen fresh in mind with overwhelming positive emotion overrunning him. Suddenly a tempest of countless images of brutal horrific Aslignhainic battles, innumerable deaths and casualties, it seemed that sheer hell was manifesting and fabricating within his mind with lethal accuracy. In the utter carnage and devastation of his memories there he stood, standing straight and tall on pile of dead bodies fully armoured in red metallic with silver trim, wings broad and flared in the middle of a ravaged and burning town. Over and over again this scene appears from the darkness, hate, vengeance, regret, remorse all come flooding back to him, but also some cool relief. This memory in particular infuriates Drakan, for it means nothing to his current life, yet it is part of him. To relieve himself of the unwanted emotion and frustration that he cannot explain, he creates uncontrollable lightning bolts of bright blue that cracks the skies with a terrific explosion with a light that is brighter than the sun. Like all Aslignhains we can control the air, wield it and manipulate it to our wills, Drakan on the other wing can create large lightning bolts entwined with air, the only Aslignhain to do that after Aslignhain himself.

The Marelians see raw powerful lightning that scares some, he only sees his anger taking a powerful physical form conjuring before him with a devastating impact on anything it hits. He is careful and in control of the immense power not to hit anything with it.

As soon as the clouds start to disperse Drakan always decides to land out of the sight of the Marelians. In his own fashion he lazily dives to a busy street below drawing in his wings into a dart back through his t-shirt, and when he is only mere few feet away, he goes into a ball and rolls three or four times, and finally on his last roll he stands up, unties his trench coat from his waist and throws it over himself covering his altered t-shirt to then start walking normally blending in with the crowds of Marelians looking like one of them, as a hidden lion amongst sheep. When Drakan lands, it is so fast, the Marelians never have noticed him, not once.

Without fail everyday he walks into the heart of the city to his favourite bakery to buy two jam donuts and two pecan twists. He even sometime dares to make idle conversation with the store clerk there although Drakan never has much to say, for he thinks what could they have in common to say to one another that more or less creates a silence and kills the conversation. Why does he bother to make conversation in the first place is bizarre for it is unusual for an Aslignhain to interact on the same level with a lesser. He does it because it is what other Marelians do around him everyday of their lives, a simple voluntary mannerism so natural to the Marelians is so alien to him, which also leaves him excluded, which he does not like the feeling of.

Occasionally Drakan will indulge himself to venture to a little record store to buy CD’s for his large collection. Apart from flying, playing his guitar, and sparring alone on his rooftop with his prized sword, music is a big passion of his and he has a very large collection of music on various different formats as Marelians like to call them, all brought from the same store and sales girl. Her name is Rachel, she has such long straight black hair which is so richly dark it shines with blue when she moves, it has to be tied up many times. Her unusual natural purple eyes… those eyes that first caught Drakan’s attention without fail, constantly gripped him every time he closed his own, they were the only reason why he ever first spoke to her otherwise he would not have bothered. Ever since their first meeting he has been hard-pressed to deny himself her company and quite often he can spend a full day in her company without fail listening to music with her. She does not mind spending her time with him for she gets a large amount of unwanted attention from men, he on the other wing she cannot help but smile when she sees him enter her shop always remembering the first time he had entered it. Her staff thought he was a vagabond thief and followed him around the store all the while he was visiting, it was clear they annoyed him at the time and she could not help but watch her employees stalking him around the store. Sometimes he has strong feelings for her and tries to see her as often as he can… he also tries to distance himself from her as not to get too close, an impossible feat, especially for him.

When he manages to tear himself away from Rachel he arrives home in the late afternoon.