Chapter 1
The sound of wood colliding with wood echoed through the Zwakani village. The men were gathered around the sparring pit preparing for tomorrows events. Tomorrow their tribe would wage war with the Kanma's a rival tribe and enemy of their allies the Equestrians. The Zwakani tribe was one of the few that had welcomed the white visitors with hopes of friendship and new trade, but not all the Zebrican tribes felt the same. Many considered the Equestrians as invaders and that they wish to enslave all of Zebrica and steal their culture. The Equestrians were mostly harmless harboring little racism towards the Zebrican people, true there were some that thoughtless of the Zebrican people but the overall sentiment was for peace and alliance. Unfortunately only the Zwakani village and a handful of others thought this leading to much conflict in the Zebrican territories. The Kanma were one of the most hateful of the tribes, their most heinous act is what called for war. They attacked an outpost of roughly a hundred Equestrians slaughtering and raping everyone inside. No man, woman, or child was safe from their bloodlust they butchered them all not even babes were safe from their wrath. This most vile act could not go unpunished so the Equestrians and several other tribes called for arms to wipe the Kanma and its allies who would side with such animals from the face of the earth.
Tanekom sat there blindly staring at the two combatants in the sparring pit not paying attention but swimming in his own thoughts. Tomorrow he would engage in his first battle, tomorrow he would walk the precipice of life and death. His thoughts were swarmed with mixed feelings. He would normally want to forgive then hold grudges as his mother would tell him "Whenever bridges are burned many times it is you who is injured," but the slaughter of a hundred innocents is unforgivable only mindless beasts would commit such an act. He did not understand why so many tribes held such animosity to the Equestrians. Perhaps it was his own blood saying this but the Equestrians had done nothing to cause such hatred they had taught the children here to speak Equestrian, they engaged in fair trade, and other than the few racial slurs from some of its more seedy citizens they were friendly. Other than the war the Zebrican Territories were peaceful from what he had been told by the Elders and his mother. Now it seems like the tribes were in constant war, what could have made them so violent?
Tanekom's thoughts were interrupted by a womanly voice whispering his name. Tanekom turned to his side but no one was there he scanned everywhere around him but found nothing. 'I need to get more sleep." he thought releasing a massive yawn. "Tanekom!" the kapteni shouted at him. Tanekom sprang to attention facing the training kapteni, he was not pleased. "Since you are so prepared for tomorrows battle that training boors you, perhaps you can show the rest of the men how it's done?" he asked waving his hand for him to enter the pit. Tanekom slammed his right fist into his chest saluting the captain and gathering his staff he entered the fighting area. "Swakali you will spar with Tanekom." The Kapteni shouted at Tanekom's friend. Swakali saluted and entered the pit facing Tanekom. "On my signal! One!" the two fighters got in to fighting positions. "Two," they tightened their grip, "three," they exhaled their last breath "fight!" Swakali was the first to strike, swinging his staff in a large radius. Tanekom easily threw off the attack with the body of his spear and dashed forward the pointed end of the staff primed for a stab. Swakali spun to the right of the stab bringing his spear down for another strike. Tanekom deflected with the tip of his spear stepping away from him, they were now back were they started. Swakali was again the first to act swinging his spear in a devastating arc. Tanekom blocked the attack with the body of the spear his legs buckled under the weight of the blow. Swakali followed the overhead with a fierce kick to Tanekom's stomach. But Tanekom was ready stepping to the right of the kick he shifted his staff knocking Swakali's leg with the butt of his spear. Swakali smashed his chin falling hard on his right leg, but before he could recover he could fell the point of Tanekom's spear on the back of his neck. He had lost. "Enough!" the Kapteni shouted, Tanekom quickly drew his spear away from Swakali's neck and saluted to him. "Tanekom wins," he declared before raising a questionable brow to him "Perhaps you are ready for tomorrow, but no amount of skill will save you from sleep." He jested earning a couple of laughs from the other warriors. "Now leave and get some the nights preparations are finished, tomorrow we rid the Kanma from existence!" He roared raising his spear, the soldiers followed suit giving a ferocious battle cry before dispersing to retire in their homes.
Tanekom helped Swakali off the ground and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Sorry about that." he said pointing and his blood soaked lip. Swakali inspected the wound with his fingers covering his fingertips in red. He just shrugged and shook off the blood "It's nothing to worry about, but the better question is are you alright?" he asked walking along side his friend. "I'm fine." he lied, but Swakali could easily see through it especially since Tanekom is a horrible liar. "Bullshit, I lasted way longer then I should have you're the best fighter we have other than the Kepala ." He said punching him in the shoulder. "I'm not that great," he said trying be modest "Bullshit your skilled with a sword, accurate with a bow, and unstoppable with a spear." He continued "I should have gone down in that first skirmish, so I ask again what's wrong with you?" He questioned, "It's nothing just tired." He responded knowing that Swakali would continue relentlessly he was very insistent especially when it came to his friends. "Ah your secret admirer keeping you up?" he asked smiling slyly. "She is not my secret admirer how could I have feelings for someone I have never even met?" Tanekom asked Swakali just shrugged and said "I don't know why are you having dreams about someone you never met?" Tanekom nodded his head in agreement. "So why are you bothered by her anyway she into some kinky stuff?" Swakali asked giving him a playful nudge. "Ha ha ha very funny, no its the lucidness of the dreams it's like I'm awake." he responded gazing at the ground "It started out small you know she would be in the background then into full dreams of only her." he explained Swakali was the only person he ever told about the woman that haunts his dreams, he continued. "In every single one I'm in the middle of a large scale battle the sky is red with carnage and it echoes of death and she just stands there sometimes she speaks but when she does it is only a few words before I wake up. Other times she is sobbing uncontrollably all my attempts in contacting her are met with silence, it's infuriating!" he roared punching the wall of a hut "I just wish I knew who she was the worst part is that it feels like I know her. It has kept me up I have been unable to sleep and when I'm awake I sometimes see her I can even hear her." he gave a heavy sigh before sliding down the wall defeated. Swakali look at his distraught friend who ever this phantom was it was draining him. "You said she sometimes speaks what does she say?" he asked Tanekom looked up at his concerned friend "As I said it's only a few words sometimes it's my name, other times she says Mi Animo I don't even know what that means!" he cried in frustration "The worst ones are sometimes when she's sobbing she's called me a monster, but the most frustrating was when she said I love you." he gave another sigh and drooped his head. Swakali gave a reassuring smile to his friend before extending his hand to Tanekom took his friends hand and was pulled up from his depressed seat. "Look I don't know why your having these dreams but I'm willing to bet my right arm it's important, it maybe even connected to your past." he said putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder "Just don't let it drain you don't let it consume you." he said "Now try and get some rest we have a big day tomorrow and we're going to need you well rested and ready to kill." he continued squeezing Tanekom's hand. Tanekom smiled at Swakali he always knew how to cheer him up "Thank you my friend." He said pulling Swakali into a friendly hug patting him on the back before they went their separate ways hoping to be well rested for the morrows battle.
Chapert 2
chapter 2
Tanekom laid on his pelt bed, unable to sleep, his body crawling with anticipation. When daylight broke, the biggest day of his life would begin. Tomorrow he will be recognized as a man in his tribe. He laid there, unable to drift into sleep with thousands of thoughts swarming in his mind like bees. "I must sleep, I can't afford to be exhausted for tomorrows battle." he grunted turning over and forcing his eyes shut, hopeful that sleep would clear his thoughts and that the woman would leave him alone. Unfortunately she would not. He dreamt he was in the midst of the same chaotic landscape that had been plaguing him for months. That's when he saw her again: the Equestrian woman that had been omnipresent in his dreams. She had long pink hair with streaks of violet and her skin was perfectly pale. "Who are you!?" Tanekom shouted at the woman. Just as before she did not take notice and kept her back to him. "Why do you torture me! Are you some sort of demon?" he shouted. The woman continued to ignore him. "If so, what do you want of me?" He pleaded one final time. The woman finally seemed to take notice of his calls and turned her head towards him. Tanekom could barely make out a face, only two purple eyes and pink lips. "Who are you?" he asked one final time. The specter gave only gentle smile before whispering his name then the sunlight shattered the dreamscape.
Tanekom awoke with a start, sweat dripping from his brow and his heart jumping out of his chest. He slammed his fists in frustration on the pelts. Tanekom wiped the sweat with the back of his hand 'I must not let this phantom consume me.' he thought as he rose from his bed and over to his water bucket. He submerged his face into the cold liquid, clearing his mind of all thoughts before emerging gasping for air. "TANEKOM, UP, UP!" he heard the Kepala call into his hut. "I am up, Kepala!" he called back advancing to the doorway. The Kepala, or chief, was a giant of a man with tree trunk arms and legs, a chest of slated stone, and a hard weather-worn face. His long black hair stretched to his lower back, a symbol of his skill and power. In his tribe before one has engaged in a battle they are to wear their hair in a pony tail and only after they have tasted war are they allowed to cut it. After cutting their tails they let their hair grow out and are not to cut it until they have lost in combat. The chief's long hair not only shows his experience and skill but also cements his place as Kepala. "Good, did you have pleasant dreams?" he asked. His face barely moved when he spoke, as if it were made of stone. "I wish." Tanekom replied walking outside the sun's piercing rays stinging his eyes and warming his face. "I am surprised you even slept. I remember I could not even hope to find sleep before my first battle." He said, "Far too excited. I wished we could have had it right then in the middle of the night." He joked. Despite being a hard and strong leader, he was not emotionless and was rather friendly. "Yes, kepala, now if I might be excused I need to say goodbye to mother." Tanekom said, "Of course you may go, but do not take long. We march to meet the Kanma's soon." The Kepala said giving Tanekom a pat on the back.
Tanekom began sprinting towards Zecora--his adopted mother's--hut. He had always known he was not her biological son; they shared no physical similarities. He had tanned, white skin, while hers was a sweet ebony. His eyes were a striking azure; hers were bright turquoise. He had crimson hair with streaks of indigo; her hair was white with black stripes. But she had taken care of him all the same since he was a babe and no matter what she was still his mother. "Mother Zecora!" he shouted throwing open her door pulling her into his muscular arms and into a warming embrace. "Ah Tanekom, my sweet. how happy I am we could meet." she said pulling him closer with a warm smile spreading "Of course I would come see you before leaving. " Zecora's spirits dampened hearing him say this. She pulled away from Tanekom, her warm smile reversed. "Mother Zecora..." Tanekom trying to console his mother "No, I know you must go but please promise me you will come home." She pleaded, fighting desperately against the flood of tears building behind her eyes. " I promise mother." He said pulling her into him, "Wait I have to get something." She said, walking over to her closet and pulling out a large staff. It was an amazing sight: a steel rod with a long obsidian blade at the top, and a shorter one at the base. It had intricate blood red lines that spread across the staff like veins and formed the edge of the dark blade. "I was saving this for your first battle, I guess I'm just surprised that it has come so soon." she handed Tanekom the staff, as he began flourishing it around it felt right in his hands like it was made especially for him. "Where did you--?" he began, but was cut off by Zecora. "Where I received it is not of any importance, all that matters is that you take this lance, and use it and fight with all your might so that you may protect yourself, my light." she said pulling Tanekom into one final embrace before the horns of war sounded. "I'll come back. I promise, mother." he said dashing out of the door.
