Aramora

Chapter 26: The Warrior's Test

Beautiful artwork made by Randompeephere <3

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In the canyon that holds the mountain city of Kilead, there are many houses that all look similar with stone walls and wide structures, and all of them have damage of some sort. There are many stone bridges that cross between the sides of the ravine and there are a number of centaurs walking across these bridges, and some occasionally stop to fight and see who can throw the other off the bridge first.

At the bottom of the canyon is a pathway that leads through the city and out a cave that leaves the natural walls of the mountain surrounding Kilead. And at the top of the canyon are three larger bridges leading off in separate directions.

The Val'Dernak house sits at the back of the canyon on a cliff like the others. The building is carved out of sandy grey stone and expands wide and tall with what looks like two stories that accommodate the height of a centaur. The stone walls have many patches of wood and other slightly discolored stone held in place of damage that's been done to the house. The windows don't have anything covering them, leaving the house open to the mountain air.

As the group approaches the house, they see in front of it are two young centaur boys who both look to be about twelve years old and they look freakishly identical. They both have hazel eyes like Nesosa and her father, Galian. The only notable difference between them is that one's hair and horse body are slightly darker brown while the other is lighter and almost dirty blonde.

The boys are repeatedly charging at each other like bulls at full speed with their heads down, meeting in the middle and bashing their heads together until one of them drops in a daze. After a few seconds, the boy springs back up and steps back as they both prepare to do it again.

Everyone in the group who isn't a centaur, which is four of the six, watch the boys with concern. Not confusion. Concern. If this is how centaur children are used to being raised, then it's no wonder their city can seldom have a time when they aren't at war.

"Corbonius, Todobus. Where is your father?" Galian's voice rumbles as they all stop in front of these small violent children.

One of the boys, with the lighter hair, stops before he can charge again and looks over at the group. His eyes widen as he sees Nesosa.

Meanwhile, the other boy doesn't stop his charge and runs full force into the other, bashing him back and pushing him off the side of the cliff.

Again, the non-centaurs of the group gasp and stare at the scene in horror, while Nesosa and Galian remain unfazed.

The dark-haired boy raises a fist to the air. "Huzzah! I am the victor and have triumphed over the death of Brother!" he announces with a proud smile across his face. He doesn't have the same heavy Scottish accent as every other centaur they've met.

Before anyone can do anything else, Nesosa charges at the boy and bashes him over the cliff as well, skidding to a halt and standing in his place. "Now ah am th' victor!" she exclaims.

Galian laughs and walks closer to the house. The others warily follow, keeping their distance from the edge out of fear that they might be next.

"Jerair! Nesosa is back!" her father shouts at the house.

From behind the group, one of the two boys comes running back. It's the first one who fell, with the light hair. He rushes at Nesosa and tries to punch her in the face, but he is not nearly tall enough and ends up punching her in the stomach instead.

"So Sister was indeed not a hallucination! It seems I have not taken enough brain damage today!"

From the side of the cliff, the other boy suddenly lands on his face beside the group after getting thrown back up by another centaur from below. He quickly springs up and stares at Nesosa, also punching her in the stomach. After a few punches, he firmly nods and turns to the other boy.