Dark
Thundera: The Age of Evil
A
fanfic epic by BkingKat
Fanfic
4: The Prophecy of the Sword
Where
we last left off…..
Lord
Roarzuma was now the indisputable Lord of the ThunderCats, King of Thundera,
and Emperor of the Thunderian Empire. Lord Roarzuma had crushed the last
remnants of The White Thunder, the only force opposing his rule, and destroyed
their leader Bavrin, Lord Roarzuma’s archenemy. This victory did not come
without a terrible price, for Lord Roarzuma’s wife, Queen Sialura, had turned
on him, and caused him to drive the Sword of Darkness into her heart. He then
left her to die, and she ran to the
As for
Lord Roarzuma, everything seemed to be in place. His royal Lair, which he had
changed dramatically from its original appearance when his father was in power,
had finished its re-construction not long before his final victory, and a great
20-foot statue of Lord Roarzuma holding the Sword of Darkness to the sky could
be seen in front of the royal Lair. Despite all his success and power, Lord
Roarzuma still had an empty place in his heart, which he had once reserved for
Queen Sialura. Having gotten rid of all his previous wives beforehand and
keeping Queen Sialura as his exclusive queen and wife, Lord Roarzuma was alone.
His attention, however, did focus on a woman about his age, who was evil and
vindictive in her heart, and greatly supported Lord Roarzuma. She first met him
once she brought a member of her village to him, whom had been slandering and
badmouthing his name. The man was beheaded, and Lord Roarzuma gave the woman a
position as a herald. Her name was Leshyra, and she was a leopard Thunderian.
Due to the void in his heart, Lord Roarzuma was taken by her beauty and
ruthlessness, and married her, making her his new queen. He used his sterility
spell on her as well, and this time, it worked, as it did with all his previous
wives except for Queen Sialura.
Upon
the
"He
is truly the last hope of the people of Thundera." said the figure.
"Once the time comes, I will guide him in the skills he needs to save his
people. Until that time comes, he will remain here."
"Yes,
of course." said the eldest monk. "We will raise him in the ways
before the Tyrant, for the mountain is the only safe place left in this
galaxy."
The
cloaked figure lifted the sheet off of Queen Sialura’s body, and saw a necklace
with a gold chain and a ruby in the middle of it. He also saw a strand of white
cloth on the ground, stained with blood, and upon further examination, he saw
it was a headband.
"I
saw her grasping it in her hand." said one of the monks. "She dropped
it on the way in."
He
removed the necklace from her, and picked up the headband off the ground, and
covered her back up. He then placed the headband and necklace in the hands of one
of the monks.
"These belong to him now." said the figure. "Make sure they
always stay with him."
And
so, the monks raised Kataan in the monastery, and he grew up along with the
other children in the village. At age 5, he was a already strong child in the
village, and he had many friends and playmates. The monks took good care of
him, and for the most part, everyone in the village was very kind to him.
However, as he grew, he felt left out among the other children, not having a
mother or a father. Each night, he would look at the necklace and headband that
the monks said once belonged to his mother, and the and he would hold it in his
hands. All the monks told him as a child was that his mother died at a very
young age.
The
story of his mother’s arrival to the village had circulated among the
villagers, and from time to time they gave him strange looks. Some of these
looks were given out of hope, for many believed he would one day save them from
the wrath of Lord Roarzuma. Some of these looks were given out of prejudice,
for they assumed that as the son of Lord Roarzuma, he would be as fierce and
wicked as his evil father. Some of these looks were given out of fear, for they
could not comprehend what had happened with his mother’s arrival, and did not
know what would become of him in the future. But most of all, the majority of
these looks were out of awe, for the arrival of his mother, as well as his
birth, was a legend within the village, and they looked at him as if he were a
celebrity.
At the
age of 7, he began his formal education with the other children, which was
given by the monks. All the children were educated in the ways of the Code of
Thundera, as well as the ethics, norms and traditions of the old ways, before
Lord Roarzuma came into power. Once the children reached the age of 10, they
had the choice of either joining the monastery, or learning a trade, which they
would study for 5 more years, and age 15 was considered the age of adulthood.
Girls also had the option of choosing the life as a housewife, in addition to
the options given to the children. On the subject of Lord Roarzuma, the monks
taught the children that he was evil, and that he was not the kind of person to
emulate. Parents also took steps to put the fear into their children over the
evil king, and he was given the fairy-tale like name of "The Sorgo
King". Sorgos were made-up creatures in Thunderian culture, which were the
equivalent of what some people call an ogre. In storybooks, they were about 9
feet tall with blue-gray skin, ugly green warts all over their body, long
yellow claws, evil-looking horns, big red eyes and a mouthful of large teeth.
These made-up monsters ate everybody, especially children, and got them by
clubbing them hard on the head, and then eating them alive. Lord Roarzuma was
dubbed their king, and he was portrayed as a 12 foot tall, evil-looking king
with razor-sharp teeth and claws, who was just as ruthless and bloodthirsty as
the Sorgos. Parents used this fairy-tale to keep their children from going down
the mountain, telling them that the Sorgo King would get them if they ventured
outside the mountain, and would gobble them up in one bite.
In
addition to the stories of the Sorgo King, there were stories of Bavrin, the
hero of Thundera. To the people of the mountain, he was seen as a martyr, and a
brave warrior. All the young boys of the village aspired to be like Bavrin,
especially Kataan.
Although
Kataan had several friends, there were those children who didn’t like him,
mainly because of the things they heard from their parents. A bigger boy named
Toxda, who was a brawny lynx Thunderian boy, always teased Kataan and picked on
him. Although Kataan was a strong child, he wasn’t really that big, so to
bigger children it would be easy for them to see him as weak and scrawny.
"I
heard about you, Kataan." teased Toxda sarcastically. "My dad says
you’re the son of the Sorgo King, and that when you grow up you’ll kill and eat
everybody."
"No,
it’s not true!" said Kataan. "Leave me alone!"
And
so, Toxda continued to tease him like this, and Toxda’s group of friends joined
in as well. Kataan’s friends were always loyal to him, and he was most happy
hanging around them.
While
life for those was good on top of the mountain, life down below was not as
simple. Lord Roarzuma persecuted the people more than ever now that nothing
stood in his way of ruling the planet with an iron fist. Anyone who did not do
as he commanded would have terrible things happen to them. Even if they did
listen sometimes, Lord Roarzuma would use a demonstration of his power, just to
make sure they kept in line.
In one
instance, which took place about 3 years after Lord Roarzuma had killed Bavrin,
a village called Suadohain, which was below a small mountain known as Mt.
Clasha, tried to defy Lord Roarzuma. The mayor of the town, a lion Thunderian
man named Drunus, refused to pay any tributes to Lord Roarzuma, which Lord
Roarzuma demanded of all the villages. When soldiers were sent out to try and
bully Drunus to hand over the tribute that was due, Drunus cut off their heads
and had a messenger deliver them to Lord Roarzuma. Lord Roarzuma looked at the
heads being presented to him, and picked up a note attached to them. He read
the message contained on the note.
"Lord Roarzuma,
Here’s
your tribute, you stinking hun! Sorry it took me so long to get it to you.
Drunus
Mayor
of Suadohain"
Lord
Roarzuma became enraged, and killed the messenger who delivered it. He then
summoned his ThunderCats.
"Be
prepared to ride out." said Lord Roarzuma. "We’ve a lesson to teach
the fools of Suadohain. Come my queen, you may watch the bloodshed if you
like."
"Yes
of course my king." said Queen Leshyra.
With
that, Lord Roarzuma, Queen Leshyra, and the rest of his ThunderCats rode out to
the town of Suadohain. When he got there, Drunus, the mayor of Suadohain, was
waiting for him at the gates. Lord Roarzuma decided to toy with their minds,
and play things cool. He looked at the angered-looking mayor, and smiled.
"Good
afternoon…." said Lord Roarzuma. "Drunus, is it?"
"You
know who I am you murderer." sneered Drunus. "My father, Gaorail, was
a loyal ThunderCat of Lord Mannion’s, and you slaughtered him like a
chicken."
"Ah
yes, I remember old Gaorail." said Lord Roarzuma. "Third in command,
right next to Enkar, as I recall. Oh well, it’s not like any of them put up
much of a fight anyway."
Drunus
started towards Lord Roarzuma, and several villagers held him back. One of them
looked at Lord Roarzuma with pleading eyes.
"My
lord, please forgive him." the villager said as he held Drunus back.
"He does not know what he is doing. We’ll gladly pay you your
tribute."
"Let
go of me!" said Drunus, managing to release himself. "No, we will NOT
pay your tribute! We are through with giving tribute to you like the rest of
this god-forsaken planet does! My people starve in this village, while you and
your cronies sit in a castle, with MORE than enough tribute to last you a
million lifetimes! I cannot allow the people of my town, or my family, to go
hungry any longer!"
Behind
him, the villagers clamored in agreement. Among them, a lion woman with her
little girl, which was clearly Drunus’ family. The little girl was about 2, and
could not fully understand what was going on, but yelled support for her father
along with the others. Standing beside them was a middle-aged white tiger
Thunderian. He walked over, and stood beside Drunus.
"You
may think you are all-powerful, Roarzuma." said the white tiger. "But
do not think we are too intimidated to fight you. In my tenure as a palace
guard, in the days of your noble father, I have seen far better warriors than
the likes of you. The best of them all is standing right next to me."
Drunus
placed a hand upon the shoulder of the white tiger Thunderian next to him, and
stared at Lord Roarzuma coldly.
"Yearaulu
has been my best friend ever since my father died, and has trained me to be a
great warrior, and a great leader." said Drunus. "If you wish to get
your tribute, you must first get past us first, as well as the many brave men
in this village ready to fight, and die, if necessary, to stand up to your
wickedness!"
The
villagers yelled loudly, raising pitchforks and whatever weapons they had at
their disposal.
Lord
Roarzuma put a finger to his chin, and pretended to ponder the situation, not
showing any anger on his face at all. For someone who had seen the wrath of
Roarzuma, they would find this behavior way out of character for the madman.
Twirling his moustache slightly, Roarzuma pretended to have reached a
conclusion.
"If
I remedy this situation right now…" said Lord Roarzuma. "If I see to
it that your people do not go hungry….then will you give me my tribute?"
A few
villagers gasped, and looked at each other in disbelief. Of all the stories
they’d heard, and, for some of the more older villagers, from what they’d
experience, this kind was a side of Lord Roarzuma none of them ever knew
existed. Drunus himself even looked shocked, as did Yearaulu. After a moment of
uncertainty, Drunus turned back to Lord Roarzuma.
"If
you were an honest and just leader, I would agree to your proposal." said
Drunus. "But coming from a wicked and cruel man like yourself, I have
little faith you’ll deliver."
"I
give you my word as king." said Lord Roarzuma. "As a ThunderCat, as
Lord of the ThunderCats. I swear upon my father’s name."
Lord
Roarzuma extended his hand for Drunus to shake, as an agreement.
"I
make this offer only once." said Roarzuma. "Show your people what
kind of man you really are."
Drunus
looked at his people, and looked at Roarzuma’s hand, approaching it uncertainly
at first. After a pause, he placed his hand in Lord Roarzuma’s, and prepared to
shake. Lord Roarzuma’s eyes glowed green, and two snakes appeared, which
slithered from his arm and wrapped around Drunus’ arm, biting him. The poison
from their bite worked quickly, and Drunus began to cough hard, falling to the
ground. His skin began to turn green, and his veins bulged out, colored blue.
Yearaulu
tried to charge Roarzuma, but was blasted backward with one of Roarzuma’s
repelling spells, and fell to the ground on his back.
"Papa!"
cried Drunus’ daughter, trying to run towards him.
"No
Qalara!" said her mother, stopping her.
Shortly
thereafter, Drunus was dead. Lord Roarzuma cut off his head, and held it up for
the people to see. Drunus’ wife cried, covering the eyes of her daughter, who
was also starting to cry.
"Papa!"
Qalara sobbed.
Lord
Roarzuma changed his mood, now clearly full of wrath and anger.
"THAT
is the kind of man Drunus was, a fool!" said Lord Roarzuma. "He was
stupid and foolish enough to try and make all of you think you stand a chance
against me and my minions! And now, here is your reward!"
Lord
Roarzuma lifted his hands, and a great earthquake occurred, making many homes
within the village crumble to the ground. The earthquake could be felt
throughout all Thundera, to show the people how powerful Lord Roarzuma truly
was. However, the damage concentrated itself on Suadohain. Knowing the danger,
Yearaulu decided to call for a retreat from the villagers.
"Run,
all of you!" shouted Yearaulu. "Run NOW!"
"What
good is running when I bring the mountain down?!" said Lord Roarzuma.
Mt.
Clasha shook violently, and broke away into several large pieces. Using his
magic, Lord Roarzuma dropped these enormous pieces of rock onto the people.
There was complete panic and mayhem, and they all tried running to safety.
Yearaulu did his best to try and get people to safety as the rocks fell,
dodging them as they came. When he searched for people, he came upon a
disturbing sight.
"Layarene!"
cried Yearaulu.
Drunus’
wife, Layarene, was pinned under a large piece of boulder. Her daughter Qalara
held her hand, and sobbed uncontrollable, stricken with grief over losing both
her parents.
"Take..care
of he.her…" sputtered Layarene, before taking her dying breath.
Without
hesitation, Yearaulu scooped up Qalara, and ran with the group, trying to
escape.
Once
the mountain had come down upon the village, it appeared the entire village had
been smashed to bits. Lord Roarzuma then summoned a mighty thunderstorm, which
boomed and struck lightning all over the ground, trying to smite any survivors.
Then, Lord Roarzuma lifted his sword to the sky.
"I,
King Roarzuma, Lord of the ThunderCats, hereby condemn this land for all
eternity!" shouted Lord Roarzuma. "The village of Suadohain shall
know nothing but pain and sorrow from this day forward, and be nothing but a
bleak, disease-filled wasteland, and dreadful to all who dare to come near it!
Death, disease and suffering shall fill the atmosphere of Suadohain, and the
village shall forever be past the point of no return! Hear me Thundera, and see
how Suadohain has become a meadow of death! Let this be a lesson to all who
oppose me!"
The
beautiful, lush green ground that once covered the village had turned into a
murky swamp, and dangerous, deadly creatures appeared all over the place. The
murky, foggy swamp air filled what was once the entire village, and the chunks
of the mountain remained. When Roarzuma spoke, and invoked this curse, his
magic made it so all of Thundera could hear him. Once this deed was done, he
set back to his palace. From that day forward, Suadohain was known as the
Meadow of Death, and many who ventured into it were never seen again. It
remained a dead, stagnant, putrid wasteland, to serve as a remind to Thundera
of who was really in charge. Lord Roarzuma had no trouble with any of his
people after that, although that did not stop him from killing or torturing
anyone who made him angry.
Word
upon the fall of Suadohain reached the Mountain of Omens, as well as the rest
of Thundera, and many longed to get atop the Mountain of Omens. However, many
had died in the cloud of disease that surrounded the mountaintop, trying to get
there. There were even those who tried to leave the mountain to help those in
need, yet died at the foot of the mountain. For those who remained on the
mountain, however, life was simple, yet safe. There were a few crops that grew
in such a rocky environment, and they got their meat from yak and goat-like
creatures they raised.
Kataan
continued to grow, and he did well in his studies. He continued to have
friends, and Toxda still continued to pester him with teasing. He was 9 years
old, and the end of the school year was fast approaching for him. One more
year, and it would be time for him to choose a trade. He rather liked carpentry
skills, and was certainly strong for his age, so he thought he might like to be
a builder for the village. The monks really tried to get him to join the
monastery, but he didn’t think the life of a monk was the life for him.
At the
end of one school day, he went outside to the play area just outside the
schoolyard where the other children were, and went to join his friends. They
met up with him, and were about to go off to play Thunderball. All of the
sudden, Kataan felt the ball knocked out of his hand, and turned around to see
who it was. Sure enough, Toxda was there waiting for him.
"Leave
us alone Toxda!" said Kataan.
"Why
don’t you make me?" said Toxda. "Son of the Sorgo King."
"Stop
it Toxda, I am NOT the son of the Sorgo King!" said Kataan.
"Oh
yeah?" said Toxda. "Then who IS your father then?"
"He’s….."
said Kataan. "He’s…I, I never knew who he was."
"See,
he IS the Sorgo King!" said Toxda. "You just don’t want to admit it!
That’s why you’ll never be welcome in this village."
Toxda
pushed him, and Kataan got angry and pushed him back.
"Knock it off!" said Kataan.
"Or
what?" said Toxda, pushing him again. "Are you gonna get your father
to kill me, just like he kills everyone else? Just like he killed your
mother?"
As he
said this, he tripped Kataan after pushing him, causing Kataan to fall into
some gravel, which hurt. At the comment made about his mother, Kataan was
filled with rage.
"Don’t
you EVER talk about my mother!" said Kataan.
On
pure reflex, and without knowing what he was doing, Kataan sprang up and threw
a punch, hitting Toxda square in the stomach. Not expecting this to happen,
Toxda bent over, having the wind knocked out of him. Kataan stood back in
surprise, breathing heavily in anger, and looking at his fist, now realizing
what he had just done. When Toxda went back forward, he hit Kataan in the nose,
knocking him on the ground. Kataan got back up, and starting hitting Toxda in
the face and chest, and Toxda started to hit back. Both groups of friends
gathered around the two boys, and started cheering and egging the boys on. Soon
enough, the boys were on the ground, wrestling and hitting each other. Kataan
soon managed to get the upper-hand, and was on top of Toxda, and started really
pounding him with his fists in the face. Toxda desperately tried to cover his
face as Kataan hit him, wishing he hadn’t gotten himself into this to begin
with.
A few
moments later, a figure concealed by a brown cloak-hood came to the group of
boys.
"The
blacksmith!" one of the children gasped.
At the
sound of this, a few of the children quickly ran away, and the alleged
blacksmith made his way to the two boys that were fighting on the ground. He
quickly grabbed the two boys by one of their shoulders, and separated them.
Toxda had several marks on his face, a swollen eye, and a bloody nose and mouth
from where Kataan had hit him. Kataan had a couple marks, a bloody nose, and a
little bit of blood dripping from the side of his mouth. It was clear that Kataan
had fared much better than Toxda. They were both still swinging at each other
when the figure had pulled them apart. He looked at the two boys, and neither
could see his face.
"You,
go home." said the figure, indicating Toxda.
Toxda
jerked away as the figure released him, and shot a mean look at Kataan. Kataan
glared back at him, as he walked away.
"And
you." said the figure. "Turn around."
Kataan
did as he was told. The figure took Kataan’s face in one hand, and lifted his
chin up slightly, surveying his battle damage. Kataan showed no fear as he
looked at him, and tried to pull away slightly.
"I’m
not going to hurt you." said the figure. "I just want to look at you,
see if there’s any damage."
The
figure turned Kataan’s head from one side to the other, and saw there was very
little other damage done. Kataan looked up at the figure. He could not see the
man’s face, and the cloak seemed to conceal his left arm as well.
"Well,
I think you’ll be alright." Said the figure. "As for the other boy, I
can’t say he fared the same as you."
Kataan
smiled. Not much was known about this blacksmith in the village, as he did not
shown his face to anyone, and was rarely seen. The children made stories about
him being a mean, vicious guy who was always mean to children, and ran away
anytime that they saw him. But, as Kataan saw, he didn’t fit that description.
He couldn’t see what he looked like, but this guy certainly didn’t seem to be
really mean.
"Here,
let me fix you up." said the blacksmith. "Wait here a moment."
Kataan waited, and the blacksmith went over to a nearby well, bringing up the
bucket. He dipped a clean handkerchief into some water, and wrung it out. He
then went back over to Kataan, and cleaned his face up a bit, wiping the blood
off of the side of his lip and under his nose. The water also helped ease the
stinging on Kataan’s face.
"There."
said the blacksmith. "Looks like the bleeding has stopped. You’ll be just
fine."
"Thanks."
said Kataan in surprise.
"Not
a problem." said the blacksmith. "You know how to take hits, but you
know even better how to deliver them I see. You would make for a great warrior
someday."
"Thank
you." said Kataan. "You really think so?"
"I
know so." said the blacksmith. "It’s your destina."
"It’s
my?" said Kataan. "What do you mean?"
It
turned out one of Toxda’s friends had run to Toxda’s father during the fight,
so it didn’t take long for Toxda’s father to catch up with his son. Toxda,
crying, re-laid the story to his father, telling him Kataan had started the
whole thing. After severely scolding Toxda for having lost a fight, Toxda’s
father marched over to the monastery, and yelled at the nearest monk, since he
knew Kataan lived at the monastery. He told the monk what Toxda had told him,
and just about the time that the blacksmith was about to speak to Kataan again,
they arrived at the scene of the fight.
"You
have a lot of explaining to do young man!" said the monk to Kataan.
"You’re in a lot of trouble!"
"You’re
going to regret messing with MY son!" said Toxda’s father. "You’ll be
lucky if you don’t get banished from this village!"
Kataan
started to speak, but the blacksmith stopped him, walking over to the monk and
Toxda’s father. He was clearly much taller than the both of them.
"I
saw the entire thing, so I’ll be happy to tell you what REALLY happened."
said the blacksmith, giving a sharp look at Toxda’s father through his cape.
"YOUR son was bullying Kataan here, and Kataan stood up for himself. I’ve
seen your son badgering him all the time."
Toxda’s
father was clearly intimidated by the size of this blacksmith, but still tried
to look confident, and stick to the story that Toxda told him.
"Now
wait just a minute here, my son…" started Toxda’s father.
"Your
son has a reputation for being a bully." said the blacksmith, then turning
to the monk. "Am I right?"
"Well,
Toxda has been held after class sometimes for mistreating other children…"
said the monk. "And Kataan has told us before that Toxda was bothering
him."
"Oh
really?" said Toxda’s father. "I didn’t know that. He always told me
he was late because he was doing homework."
"Well
there you have it." said the blacksmith. "I think your son was just
re-telling HIS version of the story to you. Kataan was tired of his bullying,
and did something about it."
The
blacksmith turned to Kataan.
"Isn’t
that right?" asked the blacksmith.
Kataan
turned to the other two, and gave his answer.
"Yes."
said Kataan. "He was saying bad things about me, and wouldn’t stop when I
asked him. He pushed me, I pushed back, he tripped me and said something mean
about my mother, I got back up and hit him, and we started fighting."
Toxda’s
father looked at the boy, wanting to not believe him, but he could tell this
was probably true. The monk looked at Kataan, deciding what to do. Toxda’s
father hoped in his mind that Kataan would be punished as well as Toxda.
"Well,
considering Toxda’s behavior record…" said the monk. "And being that
Kataan has never been in any real trouble like this before, and from what I’ve
heard from both sides, it leads me to believe that Kataan was defending
himself. Toxda will receive a week of detention, and Kataan…..just consider
yourself warned to stay out of fights in the future, and if Toxda bothers you
again, tell us."
Toxda’s
father scowled slightly at the decision, but his face straightened soon enough.
He felt humiliated that his son had made a fool out of him like this,
especially in front of the offspring of Lord Roarzuma. The embarrassment was
nagging at him.
"Fine
then." said Toxda’s father. "You deal with him at school, and I will
certainly have a word with him when I get back home."
"Thank
you gentlemen." said the blacksmith. "I’m glad we can all
agree."
The
monk smiled, nodding before he went back to the monastery, and Toxda’s father
stormed off back to his home, intending on giving his son a good yelling and
paddling as soon as he got back home. When they left, Kataan turned back to the
blacksmith.
"Thank
you for sticking up for me." said Kataan. "They probably wouldn’t
have believed me if you weren’t there."
"You’re
welcome." said the blacksmith. "I’m sure things would’ve worked out
even without me."
"Now,
I have to ask you." said Kataan. "What did you mean when you said
being a warrior is ‘is my destiny’? What do you mean? I don’t even know you, I
don’t even know how you know my name."
"I
was there when you entered this village." said the blacksmith. "I
know all about you Kataan. There is much to discuss, and many important
decisions to be made about your future. Meet me at my shop this time tomorrow,
and I will tell you all that I can."
"I’ll
need permission from the schoolmaster." said Kataan.
"Just
tell the head monk you wish to visit the blacksmith tomorrow." said the
blacksmith. "And they will understand, and let you go. I will see you
tomorrow then."
The
blacksmith started to walk away, and as he was walking, he stopped and turned
back around.
"Also,
bring your headband and your necklace." said the blacksmith. "The
ones that belonged to your mother."
With
that, the blacksmith walked back to his shop. Kataan stood there, amazed at the
events that had happened in this day. He noticed something funny about the
blacksmith’s walk, as he walked rather funny, as if he had a limp. He went back
to the monastery, did his chores for the day, and went to bed after dinnertime.
He took out the necklace and headband, which he’d always protected like his
life depended on it, and held them in his hands. His head was heavy with
thought this night, and he had a little trouble getting to sleep, anticipating
the meeting with the blacksmith tomorrow. Eventually, he did go to sleep, but
he still dreamed about answers.
The
next morning, he went straight to the head monk’s quarters in the monastery,
and asked permission to visit the blacksmith. Kataan expected the head monk to
ask for some sort of explanation why, but surprisingly, the monk agreed to let
him go right away. It as if he knew Kataan would ask this someday.
Kataan
left the monastery, and went out into the village square. He walked along the
various shops, until he got to the blacksmith’s foundry. He walked through the
foundry, until he got to the actual shop. The sign on the door said CLOSED, but
the door was open, so Kataan went inside. The blacksmith was there, waiting
behind the desk inside his shop. He still had his cloak on, as always, and
Kataan could still not see his face.
"There
you are." said the blacksmith. "Come back this way, I’ll start to explain
things."
The
blacksmith led Kataan behind into a living-room type area, which had a fire
going, and was really well kept. The blacksmith sat down in a chair, and
instructed Kataan to sit down in another chair.
"I’ve
glad you came." said the blacksmith. "I’m sure you have many
questions for me, and many things you do not understand, but would like to. But
before I go into too much detail, I think I had better introduce myself."
The
blacksmith threw back his cloak, and revealed his face, for the first time. He
was a snow leopard Thunderian, and his face was badly scarred and disfigured.
In the place of his right eye, there was an eye-patch, and Kataan could see
that on his left arm, instead of a hand there was a hook. Kataan also looked at
Kataan’s chest, and saw a symbol he had only seen in his schoolbooks. A
ThunderCat insignia.
"You’re
a…you’re a ThunderCat?" said Kataan.
Kataan
had a look of both amazement, and aprehension, at the sign of this. He head
read in his schoolbooks that ThunderCats were once good, but he had also heard
that the Sorgo King was in charge of the ThunderCats now, and ThunderCats could
not be trusted.
He was
about to speak again, but the blacksmith held up his hand, and continued.
"My
name is Oesyur." said the blacksmith. "I was once a ThunderCat, who
briefly served King Jatara, Lord of the ThunderCats, until his death. Shortly
thereafter his son, Prince Mannion, assume the throne, and I then served him,
and was second-in-command. I helped to train many warriors and future ThunderCats.
I was around briefly when his sons Toerwyn and Roarzuma were children, but my
career as a ThunderCat ended around that time."
"What
happened?" asked Kataan.
"I
was banished." said Oesyur. "For failing an important order of the
Lord of the ThunderCats. It turned out we were fighting a powerful enemy known
as the Gorthromils, and we believed there was a leak among someone in the inner
circle of the palace who was passing off information to the Gorthromils, so
that they could get the upper hand in battle. I looked into this matter very
carefully, and it turned out that it was one of our own ThunderCats, a man
named Umac. I always had a displeasure for Umac, as he was very upstart and
arrogant with me, and I made it clear to him that I did not like him. I also
voiced my concerns to Lord Mannion, and while Lord Mannion trusted me, he still
held Umac in high regard, despite his arrogance. Myself, and two palace guards
named Glatraus and Trethgal, who were pupils of mine at the time, discovered
Umac sending information towards the Gorthromils by way of falcon, and before
we took action, I decided to inform Lord Mannion, along with my cohorts. Lord
Mannion was troubled to hear of this, and ordered that Umac be brought, so that
he may be imprisoned. He told me it was imperative that this go well, so that
he may be able to see it for himself if Umac was guilty through the Sword of
Omens, and lay responsibility with me on the matter. I agreed, and the three of
us went to confront Umac. Things did not go well. When we confronted him, the
plan was for everyone to stay calm, and just inform him that by order of the
king, he is to be taken in. Trethgal was an impulsive and hot-headed youth, and
told Umac right away that he was going to be punished for having been a traitor.
Umac felt threatened, and drew his weapon on all of us. We had no choice but to
fight, and although very arrogant, Umac was still a powerful ThunderCat, and a
force to be reckoned with. He gave Glatrus a mortal wound, and Trethgal and I
ended up subduing Umac. Just as I was about to bind Umac and take him in,
Trethgal ran his sword into his heart, killing him. I impressed upon the
seriousness of what Trethgal had done, and he panicked. I tried to help
Glatrus, but he was beyond help. He asked me to look after his two children for
him from that day on, whose mother had died in childbirth, and I agreed. When
others had arrived on the scene, Trethgal pushed the blame entirely on me,
telling them that I had been the one to kill Umac. We were brought before Lord
MannionBoth Trethgal and myself were banished by Lord Mannion, for having
failed to bring Umac to him, so that he might know for certain that he was a
spy. When Lord Mannion banished me, he forgot to remove my insignia, so it
remained with me. One thing I was grateful for, however, was the fact that he
then made my brightest pupil Enkar second-in-command, something I had been
hoping for, for a long time. I had trained Enkar well in the skills of magic
and battle, and he was ready to assume the task of second-in-command. Once I
left the Royal Lair, I decided to go to Glatrus’ village, and look after his
children, who were in the care of a nursemaid at the moment. As Trethgal and I
were leaving, we were ambushed. It turned out that Umac belonged to a powerful
warrior clan, and they refused to believe he was a spy for the Gorthromils, so
they decided to attack us. There were about 8 of them, and one of them managed
to kill Trethgal right away, but they still had me to deal with. In the end, I
managed to finish them all off, but at a terrible price. One had cut off my
left hand in battle, but I continued to fight on. The last one I fought managed
to lop off one of my legs, but not before I drove my blade into his heart. His
final attack before his death was throwing a chemical into my face that ate
away my flesh, including one of my eyes, and left me as I am today. Fortunately
for me, some people in a nearby village found me, and nursed me back to health
very quickly. When I was well I made it to Glatrus’ village of GrayClaw, and
there I looked after his twin children until they were old enough to be on
their own."
Kataan
listened carefully to everything Oesyur was saying. He couldn’t believe he was
actually talking to a former ThunderCat, a real ThunderCat, someone who helped
to protect Thundera before the Sorgo King took over. There was still so much
Kataan wanted to know.
"I
raised Glatrus’ children, and they went on to do great things." said
Oesyur. "I could not have any children, so it helped to fill the void in
my life. Glatrus’ son went on to become a magnificent warrior, and I thought he
would be the one to fulfill the Prophecy of the Sword."
"The
Prophecy of the Sword?" asked Kataan. "I’ve heard about that. I don’t
know what it says, but I do know that it contains the secret to defeating the
Sorgo King."
"Sorgo
King? Bah!" said Oesyur. "Lord Roarzuma is a living, breathing
Thunderian just like any of us. But his heart, is more evil than anything
anyone has ever seen. He was greatly skilled, and had great ambition, and
would’ve made a warrior in the name of good. But he was also very greedy, and
craved wealth and power above anything else. This terrible greed caused him to
murder thousands, including his own family, and take over Thundera by brutal
force. But one thing he could not have, was the Sword of Omens, so he threw it
away, and created the Sword of Darkness, as a dark model from the Sword of
Omens. The Sword of Omens was said to have been lost in a volcano forever, but
even though it is gone, it has a special connection with this mountain. No one
knew this mountain existed, until the Sword of Omens was lost, and it was later
on that a brave warrior fiercely battled Lord Roarzuma on this very mountain,
and drove him away from here."
Oesyur
took something out from behind his chair, which was covered in cloth, and
showed it to Kataan. It was a piece of rock torn from the mountain, with an
imprint of the Sword of Omens upon it, and writing in ancient Thunderian.
"This
is the Prophecy of the Sword, which was found on this very mountain." said
Oesyur. "The writing is in a dead language, but the very language that our
ancestors spoke before us. It says that there will be one who comes along one
day, and will strike down Lord Roarzuma, and restore the kingdom of Thundera to
its rightful state. Then, this savior will become king, and rule justly over
the people of Thundera for a long time. For a long time, I thought Glatrus’ son
would be that savior, but it was not meant to be."
Kataan
watched, as Oesyur closed his eyes at the mention of Glatrus’ son, and waited
for Oesyur to speak. Wanting to know about how Oesyur knew him and his mother,
Kataan couldn’t wait any longer, and asked his question.
"How
do you know about me and my mother?" asked Kataan.
"Ah
yes, your mother." said Oesyur. "I knew your mother well, and was
there at the moment of your birth. You were told that she died giving birth to
you, which is true to an extent, but there is more to tell. I promise to tell
you everything, but first I must continue about the children of Glatrus. As I
mentioned before, Glatrus’ son was a great warrior, one of the greatest I had
ever seen in my days. I had trained him from youth in his battle skills, and he
grew to be a great leader, and would’ve been a great ThunderCat. He led one of
the greatest rebellions against Lord Roarzuma, which freed villages once under
his control for a short time. It was he who drove Lord Roarzuma away from this
very mountain, and Lord Roarzuma tried to lay siege to the mountain with a terrible
plague at the bottom, which killed anyone who tried to leave or enter the
mountain. As you see, life continued on, undisturbed. Eventually though, Lord
Roarzuma had gotten the better of him, but his sister offered herself as
marriage to Lord Roarzuma to save his life, which worked. He was kept in
prison, until his followers broke him out, and once again rose up to Lord
Roarzuma. Still, Lord Roarzuma’s evil proved too powerful, and he was killed.
Lord Roarzuma’s wife then turned on him, and he drove his sword through her
heart. Although she had a mortal wound, by some miracle, she managed to linger
on, and made it all the way up this very mountain, miraculously unharmed by the
plague below the mountainside. The name of the man who stood against Lord Roarzuma,
and died rather than give into him, was named Bavrin."
"Bavrin!"
said Kataan. "We’ve all heard of him, he’s the greatest warrior who ever
lived!"
"Yes."
said Oesyur. "Your uncle’s legacy does live on."
"My…."
said Kataan. "What did you say?"
"When
his sister made her way to the village, she was found along the mountainside by
some monks." said Oesyur. "They brought her to the monastery, where
she gave birth to a son, a son that Lord Roarzuma tried to prevent her from
having. Her name, was Queen Sialura, and she was your mother."
Kataan
looked at Oesyur, his face a canvas of emotions. Kataan was shocked,
bewildered, disbelieving, and fearful all at the same time.
"My
mother….was the Queen?" said Kataan. "Then….my father is……"
"Yes."
said Oesyur. "He is."
This
was all too much for Kataan to take. He was happy to learn about his mother,
but at the same time, he couldn’t believe who his father was. All the rumors
he’d heard among the schoolyard, all the looks he’d gotten from villagers, all
the teasings about being the son of the Sorgo King….it was all true. Kataan put
his head in his hands, not knowing what to do. He was ashamed to show his face
once he’d found out.
"I…I
can’t be!" said Kataan. "I just can’t be! I can’t be his son."
Oesyur
walked over to the chair he sat in, and placed a hand on Kataan’s shoulder.
"I
realize this may be difficult for you to understand." said Oesyur.
"Or to even believe. One so young should not be burdened with such a heavy
load. Yet these are troubled times, and we must do what we can, even if it is
difficult. I wish there was something else I could tell you, but I cannot. The
stories are true, you are the son of Lord Roarzuma, and heir to the throne of
Thundera."
Oesyur kneeled down to face Kataan, and lifted his face up to his.
"But
your father’s fate does not have to be your own." said Oesyur. "Just
because you are his son, does not mean you must end up as he has. After all,
look at your uncle Bavrin. He is in your blood, and he was one of the greatest
men I have ever known."
Kataan
looked less discouraged at the sound of this, and Oesyur took Sialura’s
necklace, and Bavrin’s headband from Kataan in his right hand, to show him.
"This
headband was always worn by your uncle." said Oesyur. "He was leader
of The White Thunder, and it was a symbol of his leadership, in place of a
crown, which he deserved the most. This necklace was worn by your mother, and I
was one that her father gave to her long ago. I recognized it right away, for
she was wearing it when she gave birth to you, and I saved it so you would have
it. I see you have kept these items with you always, keep it that way, for they
are a reminder of who you really are."
Oesyur
then brought Kataan the slab of rock that had the emblem of the Sword of Omens
on it.
"There
was an error in the first translation of this tablet, which I learned shortly
after Bavrin’s death." said Oesyur. "It says that a warrior of Lord
Roarzuma’s family will emerge to destroy him. I thought it meant Bavrin, since
Sialura had married Lord Roarzuma, and they were then related by marriage. But,
once word had reached of Bavrin’s death, and before your mother was found, a
few elder monks, and myself looked at the prophecy again. The word ‘family’ and
‘blood’ are very similar in the old language, and it had turned out that we
mis-translated the word ‘blood’ for ‘family’. It all makes sense. It was
learned that Lord Roarzuma used a sterility spell on all his wives, including
your mother, to prevent them from having any children, yet it didn’t work on
your mother. So he must have know this prophecy to be true, there’s no toher
explanation for it. Not long after we made these discoveries, including the
mistranslation, Sialura had come to us, and you were born. It was then I
realized, that the prophecy was coming true."
Oesyur
put the tablet back behind the chair, and sat down again.
"It
is almost time for you to return." said Oesyur. "I know you have
taken in a lot all in one day. All I can give you is the truth about your life,
and my belief that you are the one that will overthrow Lord Roarzuma, and bring
us peace. That is all I can tell you, nothing more. As I said to you before,
there are many important decisions to be made. This school year is almost over,
and the next school year will be your last, before you choose a trade. Then,
whatever you study for the next 5 years will be the line of work that you go
into for the rest of your life. I’m here to offer you a choice. Either you can
do what everyone else does, and pick an industry to work in here in the
village, go about it the rest of your life and live happily on the mountainside
until the day you die. Or, you can come with me, and I will help you to fulfill
your destiny. I can train you to be a great warrior, and give you all the
skills it takes to be a ThunderCat, as I have given to my pupils in the past.
It will not be easy, and you will be faced with many trials and tribulations.
There is even the chance that I could be wrong, and you are not the one to
fulfill the Prophecy of the Sword. However, everytime I look into my heart, and
everytime I place my hand on my insignia, and ask myself whether you truly are
the one to save us all….I feel it is true. This is a great task to undertake,
but if you look into your heart, and everything you believe in, you will find
the strength and answers you need right there. The choice is yours to make, and
I will work it out with your schoolmasters, so you will be allowed to make this
decision. You must realize though, that should you decide to join me, it is a
decision you make on the name of your uncle and mother, and there is no turning
back once you begin, no matter how hard things get. I will give you the rest of
this school year, and until the time you must pick your trade, to decide."
Kataan
stood up, and left the blacksmith’s shop when it was time. He walked back to
the monastery, all the time, his head full of ideas, and his emotions all in a
whirl. That night, he sat in the common yard of the monastery, thinking about
his conversation with Oesyur, and stayed there until it was time for bed. He
had a lot of thinking to do, and a lot of time to decide.
As the
rest of the school year went on, Kataan continued to do well in his schoolwork,
and before he knew it, the school year was up. The final year of his basic
schooling, all the children worked on the final basic skills they would need
before choosing a trade. All too soon, the day came for Kataan to make a
decision, and he went to the head monk to let him know what that decision was.
The
day after Kataan’s final school day, Kataan went to the Oesyur’s shop the very
next morning, and knocked on his door. Oesyur opened the door, to find Kataan
outside, with all his belongings. Oesyur smiled upon him.
"It
is time." said Oesyur. "Follow me, and we will make a warrior out of
you."
From
that day forward, Kataan began his rigorous training as a warrior. Oesyur was
very wise, and very strong, and trained him in the ways of the ThunderCats,
before the rise of Lord Roarzuma. He began with the basics of fighting and self-defense,
and gradually trained Kataan to master them. Once he mastered a certain level,
he would move to the next level. Then when he had mastered a particular style,
he would move on to the next style. He also had a workout routine, which got
more and more rigorous as Kataan advanced in skill, and in age as well. Most
importantly, he was well trained in the Code of Thundera.
For 3
years, Kataan trained, and as he advanced, the training got harder and harder.
Oesyur admired his stamina, and his refusal to give up. If Kataan could not get
something the first time, he would try and try again, until he got it right.
Whenever Kataan felt as though he would lose hope, he thought of his mother,
and what a great man his uncle Bavrin is, and that helped him to carry on.
When
Kataan turned 15 years old, he had mastered many Thunderian fighting skills,
and all the skills and knowledge needed to become a ThunderCat. But his
training did not stop there. Not only was Oesyur familiar with what it took to
become a ThunderCat, but he was also familiar with what it took to be Lord of
the ThunderCats. After Kataan turned 15, Oesyur decided it was time to not only
advance his training, but initiate him into the Anointment Trials required of
all Lords of the ThunderCats. In addition to preparing Kataan for these trials,
Oesyur also planned to teach him the knowledge of Thundera, and secrets of the
ThunderCats, that only ThunderCats knew.
Kataan
grew very strong, and very powerful. He trained for 2 more years, and by then
was the most powerful man in the village. Everyone knew him, and he was loved
by almost everyone. Even his childhood nemesis Toxda admired him, and had
reconciled long ago to become his friend. Soon, he had mastered all the
Anointment Trials, except for one.
"The
final Anointment Trial is what will make you King of Thundera, and Lord of the
ThunderCats." said Oesyur. "You must defeat your greatest
enemy…..your father."
Kataan
listened carefully, for Oesyur was very wise. Yet, something was still nagging
at him.
"I
have to kill my father, don’t I?" asked Kataan.
Oesyur
paused for a moment. He knew one day that Kataan would ask this question, and
he knew the answer he had to give.
"You
are well aware of the Code of Thundera." said Oesyur. "As well as the
ways of the ThunderCats. As you know, it is against the Code to kill the
innocent, and you are supposed to avoid killing whenever possible. The Code
also says that the role of the ThunderCat is to destroy evil. Lord Roarzuma, in
mind, body, and spirit, is nothing but pure evil. As long as he exists, he will
try to wipe out all that is good in this universe. If you were to hold, say,
the Sword of Omens in your hands, and aim at his heart in battle, the Sword
would not prevent you from driving it into his heart. I’ve looked over this
many times, and questioned my heart, and insignia. There is no other solution,
Lord Roarzuma must be destroyed."
Kataan
listened, unsure what to think of it at first. He didn’t know if he would be
able to kill his own father. Then, he looked into his heart, and his heart
reminded him of his mother, and his uncle, and how Lord Roarzuma had killed him
both.
"Lord
Roarzuma is not my father." said Kataan. "He is the man who killed my
mother and uncle, among many others. I will eliminate him, and free
Thundera."
Oesyur
nodded. It would not be long now, Kataan would be ready to face the ultimate
challenge.
On the
night of his seventeenth birthday, Kataan had trouble in his sleep. In his
dreams, he saw the Sword of Omens, and he saw himself using it to destroy evil.
He soon awoke, drenched in sweat, and something was nagging at him. He felt as
though there was something he had to do before he was ready to face Lord
Roarzuma, something to complete his training. He also felt it had something to
do with the tablet that Oesyur had shown him years ago.
Kataan
went to where Oesyur was sleeping, and woke him up.
"What
is it?" asked Oesyur, half-asleep.
"The
tablet, with the Prophecy of the Sword." said Kataan. "Where did you
find it? I need to know the exact location, right now. Show me, please."
Oesyur
was not quite sure what had gotten into Kataan, but it was clear that Kataan
would not leave him alone until he showed him where he got the tablet.
"Alright,
follow me." said Oesyur, putting on some outdoor clothes.
Oesyur
lit one of his lanterns, and led Kataan outside. In the center of the village,
Oesyur pointed out a slight crater in the ground, which was right in front of a
statue of Lord Mannion.
"This
is where we found it, right outside the statue of your grandfather." said
Oesyur.
Kataan
brought the tablet along with them, and he took it, placing it in the crater.
It was a perfect fit.
"I
see." said Kataan. "It was here."
"Now
come back inside." said Oesyur. "We’ve got work to do tomorrow."
But
Kataan could not sleep. Something kept tugging at his conscience. Something
still felt unfinished, and the visit to the spot where the rock was taken from
seemed to put together what needed to be done. He felt the urge to search by
the spot where the tablet had been carved from.
Taking
a pick-axe, he went back to the spot Oesyur had mentioned, and he started to
pick away at it. He knew he had to search, but for what he did not yet know.
Even unto the morning, he continued to pick and dig. Oesyur tried to persuade
him to come out, but he did no such thing. He knew he had to keep searching.
Oesyur was not sure what to make of this, but as he thought, he felt as though
this were happening for a reason, and this could be Kataan’s final moment.
But
Kataan’s digging was not over within a few days. He continued to dig, stopping
only to eat and drink, and nothing more. It was all that was on his mind, all
that he could think about, and he couldn’t even stop himself. His hands became
sore and callused, but he treated them when needed, and continued on. The days
turned into weeks, the weeks turned into months, and before Kataan had known
it, an entire year went by. He’d lost all track of time and space, all he cared
about was digging, and searching, for whatever his mind told him to look for.
The entire time, Kataan kept Bavrin’s headband, and Sialura’s necklace, with
him, and looked to them for strength if he ever got tired.
On the
moment of his eighteenth birthday, Kataan had dug quite a hole in the village.
There was a barrier around it to keep people from falling in, and food and
water was passed down to him through a bucket. He’d dug far past any of the
wells in the village went, and was several hundred feet deep into the mountain.
With one pick of his pick-axe, the ground beneath him gave way, and he fell
down.
When
he landed, he found himself within a strange chamber underneath the mountain.
Judging from the height of the mountain, and how far Kataan had dug down, he
knew he was now at the mountain’s center.
The
floor of the chamber was a bit hot, and seemed to be covered in black obsidian
rock. The surface was slippery, and felt like glass beneath his feet. Above,
several villagers had heard the ground break, and sent several ropes down, for
Kataan to climb back up with. Kataan saw the ropes descend into the hole.
"THANK
YOU!" called Kataan, his voice rising up through the crater. "LEAVE
THEM THERE! I’LL BE UP LATER!"
Kataan
still was not satisfied after digging this long. He still had not found what he
was looking for. He followed the path to what was more like the center of the
mountain, and continued on there. The spot he’d begun digging seemed like the
center on the surface, but was a few feet to the left than the actual center of
the mountain.
As
Kataan approached this direction, he saw that the rest of the way was encased
in an amber-colored, magma-like rock, which was semi-transparent. He heard a
strange growl, and looked to the rock that blocked the path. He had finally
found what he was looking for. He quickly broke through the rock that was in
his way, so he could get it.
The
villagers above, including Oesyur, waited at the edge of the crater, and waited
for him. They could not see far down into the crater, so it was hard to tell
where he was. To their amazement, there was movement on the rope, and they all
stood back.
About
an hour later, Kataan’s head emerged, and he was wearing Bavrin’s headband
around his head. He pulled his way to the top, and they could also see his
mother’s necklace attached to his belt, on his side. When he emerged on the
surface, he was filthy from working so hard this entire year, and held
something behind his back in his right hand. When he brought his right hand
out, he revealed what he found down in the center of the mountain.
The
Sword of Omens.
The
Sword of Omens had not perished in the volcano that Lord Roarzuma had thrown it
in long ago. It survived, and transformed the volcano into a mountain, and
would serve as a safe haven to all who took shelter on it.
The
villagers all gasped at the sight of the sword. In a trance-like state, Kataan
held the hilt of the sword to his eyes, which glowed a golden color.
"THUNDER…..THUNDER…..THUNDER…..THUNDERCATS,
HOOOO!"
Kataan
swung the sword with each word, just as his ancestors had done in the past, and
when he sounded the call, the insignia shone brightly in the sky.
Away
in his palace, Lord Roarzuma was sitting in his throne. A terrible feeling
grasped him all of the sudden, and he was in terrible pain, and felt as though
he couldn’t breath. He fell to the floor, and reached for the Sword of
Darkness. The Eye of Roarzuma growled, and flashed to the Eye of Thundera,
before changing back to normal.
Lord
Roarzuma looked at his sword in shock, and fear.
"No,
it cannot be!" said Lord Roarzuma. "It was destroyed! No! It CANNOT
be!"
The
villagers cheered in jubilation, and the signal went back into the hilt of the
sword. Kataan stood where he emerged, not looking like a child anymore, but a
man, a warrior…..a ThunderCat.
Oesyur
smiled with pride, and placed a hand on Kataan’s shoulder.
"The
time has come." said Oesyur. "The final Anointment Trial awaits
you."
To
be continued
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