The Myrrian Crisis

The Myrrian Crisis - Chapter 01 - Pursuit

Chapter 1 – Pursuit

Era 2, Year 216

It was about midday, when Papa called my older brother Kess and I inside. We weren’t quite sure why. He usually would just let us tend to the corn while he lectured us if we did anything wrong.

Papa was a very understanding man, but still would whip us if we stepped out of line badly enough.

It was so odd though, having him ask us to come inside.

As soon as Kess drew back the straw door, he staggered with a shocked look on his face.

“Woah, Kess,” I gasped, “Are you all right?”

He smirked, but not in the usual way. He displayed a soothed, pleased look.”

“Aye,” he replied, “Come over here and get a whiff, brother Mikkel.”

I gingerly approached the hut and inhaled quickly, yet shallowly. I had expected a rotting stench, but what I got was the smell of a steaming hot meal.

“Kess,” I said slowly, “What is that?”

His smirk quickly disappeared as Papa startled him from behind.

“All right, boys,” He laughed, “Wash up for dinner.”

“Papa,” I started, “I don’t understand. You’re so happy! What is this?”

He chuckled lightly, “I wouldn’t forget your birthday, and neither would your brother Kess. So why should you?”

“Today is my birthday?” I asked Kess.

“Yeah,” he paused, “I thought you knew!”

“You know that if I did, I would have been rubbing it in all day!” I laughed.

He hugged me and said, “Still, this isn’t just any birthday!”

I grinned wildly. This year I turned 18. My commencement. I would be trained by Ekhail, the village Water Priest.

I could only imagine the look on my face as I gazed upon the luscious meal before me. There was a large bowl of boiled corn, as usual, and there were potatoes and beans of several varieties. There were also bits of cooked beef on one plate. The other two did not, and had smaller servings of potatoes.

Papa and Kess sat down at before the smaller plates.

Papa said, “My son, I am honored to have you eat in our home. Have you any idea how much you and Kess have blessed me as a father?”

“No, Papa, I really don’t.”

“Son, you turn 18 today, and in a few days you will be joining the Priesthood!”

I blushed and chuckled, “You’re embarrassing me.”

“Yeah? Kind of like you do to me, eh, brother?” Kess laughed.

“I turn red by the thought of you two by my side in town!” Papa snickered as he took a large bite of his potatoes.

It wasn’t long after I had sat down when I was startled by a thunderous blowing horn.

We raced outside to see what the trouble was.

“Citizens of Fysch,” announced an extremely robust soldier, “I bring news from the Capital Province of Poseidon! Rürmyrra is under attack from Pyrmyrra!”

There was a quiet, yet frantic murmur amongst the villagers. We knew for a long time that the elemental nations were very uneasy with each other, but we never thought that we would be attacked. For the most part, Rürmyrra and Geomyrra were neutral nations!

“Queen Daiku has declared that every able-bodied male shall enlist at once!”

Papa gave us a stern look and tossed his head back. He slowly backed away from the crowd and signaled for us to follow.

We slowly turned around, being extremely careful not to make any loud noise or sudden movements.

The slow walk seemed to take forever, and our hut seemed to be miles away.

“Where do you think you are going?” asked a deep, yet nasal voice with a breathy accent.

Our bodies spun around at a break-neck speed. His azure armor bore the symbol of the Holy Amphora. His sky-blue helmet was plumed in a stripe from left to right. His spear had a string of skulls tied to the tip. He was a Rürmyrrad Praetorian. Some of the most skilled infantry in the land were the Praetorians. They say that they have the power to create mass amounts of water itself!

Papa rushed over to him and begged, “Sir, these boys are not right in the head. Their brains are all spun about. No good for battle!”

The soldier’s face grew even more menacing as he said, “We shall determine their mettle in war!”

Papa’s eyes grew as he shouted, “NO! I WON’T LET YOU!” He reached to unsheathe the Keigelle family dagger.

Within the blink of an eye, the brutish Praetorian had Papa snatched by the throat, with a spear sticking through his abdomen.

“Kess... Mikkel... Ru-- run.”

We hesitated as Papa’s stare grew blank. He was dead, or at least very close. The soldier’s glare turned towards us as he set Papa on the ground and removed the bloody spear from his body.

“You had best learn to listen to your father. Because I will not cease until I scalp the two of you!”

We began to sprint as fast as we could. The Praetorian was hot on us. His speed didn’t falter one bit. It seemed as if his master was right behind him shouting for him to keep after us.

Kess panted to me, “Why are we running, brother? I would have gladly joined!”

“I don’t know Kess. Papa sensed something was wrong.”

“Don’t all parents, especially when their children start talking about going to war?”

The thought puzzled me. He was right, and yet... Papa wouldn’t have approved one bit of deserting.

“Yeah, but, Papa would never have had us desert!”

“You would be surprised,” he said as he turned his head forward, “Look! There’s the river Geldich. Two miles! There is a ferry along the banks just west of the old Water Shrine. We can use that ferry to get to the village of Snow!”

“And you know how to use this ferry?”

“Yeah It’s just a little wooden raft. The current will bring us straight to sea if we’re not careful.”

As we drew closer to the ferry, we stopped hearing the footsteps behind us. We looked back, and surely, he was not there.

The ferry was just within our grasp, when we heard a voice.

A female voice. Sweet, tempting, young, and yet beautifully fierce.

“Why are you here? In our realm?”