longfellow4
Member
Dystoka
A fictional tale of Loka's future
By Long
The year is 2017.
Ascalon and Kalros are destroyed.
The Artifact is dead.
Only Garama, and the nation of Xidius remains.
These are our tales. The tales of our descendants.
The tale of Dystoka.
Chapter 1: Prelude
Xidun, capital of Garama
A fictional tale of Loka's future
By Long
The year is 2017.
Ascalon and Kalros are destroyed.
The Artifact is dead.
Only Garama, and the nation of Xidius remains.
These are our tales. The tales of our descendants.
The tale of Dystoka.
Chapter 1: Prelude
Xidun, capital of Garama
"Attention all civilians! Report to your nearest cleansing station immediately!" buzzed the tale loudspeakers dotting the streets. The crowd amassed to a huge panic. Men and women clung to each other as they scurried into alleyways and put away their things under rags. I sighed, wish I had some things to put away. Yet I couldn't afford it, neither could my family during these times other than some stale sweetbread. Though that was quickly interrupted when I heard that dreaded march once again. Huge, shimmering soldiers clad in black capes, with one holding a giant purple-gold flag of the Xidius. The nation that enslaved us, yet they call it protection.
The soldiers stopped many, yanking their hard earned food from their arms in desperation. Even the soldiers' faces looked betrayed. Everyone was desperate. "Give us the items now civilian and we will be on our way."
The old woman looked up at them with a smirk, "Even if I give you them it won't be enough. It never is enough. Isn't that what your ruler sai-" She was struck down. Crisped into cinder and her head stuffed into some weird bag right in front of me. This was normal, the king liked collecting the skulls of our people. Savagery at its best if you ask me.
Eventually the soldier's approached me. I could barely make their eyes out under those large helmets. They shook their heads and moved on, parting with a "get home safe kid." As if they pretended they weren't there to kill. I've had enough of this for today. I needed to get back home.
~
"Oh, Ardi! There you are! Tell me the guards were kind to you." My brother clasped my shoulders. I nodded with a frown. "They keep adding damn heads to their palace. It's only a matter of time until it is us Jasp." He covered my mouth with a stern face. "Listen to me brother, with that attitude, you are certainly right. Yet there is time to change that. Now, go get changed. Dad came back from hunting." Food! I sprung up and scurried upstairs into our short apartment. I quickly threw on my leather pants and shirt, and looked out my window into the never ending horizon of houses and smoke. Feels good to be away from the sweaty alleys and up here in the breeze. I took a large breath. Conflicting emotions from this life to the food ahead. One day at a time. I repeated. One day at a time. "Hurry! Foods done!" Jasp yelled.
"Coming!" I jumped down the ladder and smelled the fresh steak on the table. Dad and Mom were talking over one of the large iron thingy's in our home. "It is broken, here, let me see it." Mom said. "Look, I can deal a few more arrows before it snaps. Besides we don't want to waste the tools. Mom grunted. "You're impossible, cmon, food's getting cold." We all sat down at the table and enjoyed the steak in near silence, until Dad came up and spoke to Jasp and I. "Sons, it is time I take you outside the walls and show you the great jungles of our land." I nearly dropped my fork. Outside? Was there such a thing other than the city? Jasp was the first to respond with excitement "Awesome, about time!" Dad chuckled while Mom shook her head. "Let's get going, sunrise tomorrow. I will teach you all I know, and hey, maybe you two will teach me!" Dad smiled.
I went to bed staring at that open horizon wondering, 'just what is beyond?'
