Dark Gods and Titans

Chapter 1

Ahle's feet pushed deep into Baio mud and she sank to her waist. Her staff lay on the banks. She faced the green-scaled Wels-Mouth that slithered toward her. She raised her raw red knuckles. The tips of her long scarlet hair brushed the chocolate-toned mud and she twisted her body to move toward the beast. She lowered her jaw and set her gaze sharp on the Wels. She whispered under her breath. "This is it. This is it."

A two-foot Tung-Axe landed on the tail of the five-foot Wels-Mouth and it squealed in pain. It rolled on its belly and scrambled toward a hole in the bank leaving a trail of orange blood. Ahle lowered her fists and caught her breath. She used the back of her bloodied right hand to wipe mud from her cheek. Her eyes narrowed and her lip turned down. She fixed Elder Se with a glare. "I had it!"

Elder Se tugged the line connected to the ax and a squeal of agony carried from the Wels-Mouth hole. The ax emerged and Se pulled it back. He slicked it clean on the grass and then looked up. "No. You did not, Ahle."

Ahle clawed at the mud. Blood trickled from her wounded brow into her mouth and she spit it out.

"Don't you dare treat me different than the others!" She reached the bank and pulled herself up to standing. "If you think Lill or Re can take more than I get them down here and break their bones right now."

Elder Se stood back and sheathed his ax. "Clean yourself up, Ahle. The Titans do not fear a petulant warrior much less a filthy one."

Ahle looked at herself, the mud everywhere on her tunic, her blood running free from many wounds. She looked at Se.

Her bleeding lower lip trembled. Her head fell. "Please. If I don't finish the lesson my Eppa will punish me. I'll bet you six sha that I can keep going."

Se moved closer and took her shoulder in his grip. "Do not insult me with your filthy habit. To me, my students are in the after-world the moment they become my students. I seek only to prevent infection and counter-productive fatigue."

Ahle's mirror-blue eyes looked to Se's flask as he drank from it. "Sensei, this body thirsts for the blood of Dark Gods. For Ige, and Hema and Flame."

Se narrowed his eyes. "Is that all you thirst for?"

Ahle winced and looked to her staff. She knelt down and picked it up.

"It is clear you are not ready to even dream such things. You must give all of your light to this training."

Ahle looked down at her shadow and balled her fists. "Light? I have no light to give, Sensei. Nothing but hate for the gods and the Titans."

Se's eyes narrowed. "Hatred, fear, and arrogance brought our world to ruin. Blaming yourself for the mistakes of your family will only waste your gifts. Reconcile with your past traumas and forge new meaningful relationships. This is the only way you will find contentment. Not by becoming another dead hero."

Ahle turned away.

"Destruction is all I know. Hate is my milk."

Se brought his hand together and held her gaze.

"Bathe, eat, sleep and return."

Ahle loaded her staff on her backstrap and nodded.

"Tomorrow, Sensei."

Chapter 2

As the glowing discs of Casp and Nava ascended the sky, Ahle peered into the dark. She clutched the carved stone that hung from a string on her neck.