In a dank and uninviting cavern beneath the feet of Paragon City, two armies watch each other and wait. They wait for the other to show signs of weakness, fear or disunity. They wait for that first sign of battle being joined, that they might hurl themselves into the most lethal of dances, to pair off and pirouette until one can dance no longer. They wait to see who will live and who will die.
They are not the same, these armies, though similar. Both are reptilian and cold blooded, both lay eggs to reproduce. There the similarities end as on one side, the Snakes gather in their brood-clutches, each related to each in siblinghood, loyal to only the strongest of purebloods among their ruling class. Thousands of them lay in rough fighting units spread out over the cavern floor, their hides and rusted scimitars glinting from reflected light cast by luminous fungi.
Opposite them are the forces of the LyShokan, distant genetic cousins to the Snakes but having two legs in place of a single serpentine tail. They stand in more disciplined ranks, none related by blood but instead by kinship and skill at arms. Their loyalty is first to the LyCras, the diplomatic leader caste of their people, then to each other, followed by the LyDenshari, the builders and artisans. Finally their loyalty is to their people as a whole, though this is by far the most binding loyalty for none will raise arms against another LyShokan, as without one, the remaining two should surely fall. Few of the LyShokan warriors carry names, as only those who prove themselves have earned the right to wear an honourific, bestowed upon them by the LyCras to describe a trait or skill beyond that of any other warrior.
As both sides muse over the coming conflict, the few LyCras that accompany the LyShokan walk among the troops, dispensing wisdom and advice, calming a few fraying nerves with gentle words of comfort. All know the plan of battle. All are hardened fighters able to kill bare-handed if need be, but each carrying a blade of finely wrought steel, heavy and sharp. Each fighting unit is led by a veteran LyShokan, one who has earned many honours and seen countless battles.
At the front of the Shokani line stands LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind, veteran of five battles and countless duels. He is leader of the forces around him, thanks in part to his age and mostly to his experience. Around him are his chosen Shokani, each a raw recruit, only recently finished training in the ways of war. He offers a few brief words to each before turning to the forces arrayed behind him.
Do not turn your back to the enemy, his deep voice rings clear across the cavern, nearly drowning out the cacophony of the Snakes on the other side. When you do so your life belongs to him and he will take it from you. He paused to let this sink in. They come not for just our blood, but for that of all LyShokan, here and back in our homes. They will not leave any alive. And I intend not to allow them to. Again a pause, all for effect. Who, among you LyShokan, will help me stop them?
The answering cry shook the cavern so violently that dust fell from above to patter unnoticed on the grimy floor. Some of the awaiting Snakes turned and fled in terror, spreading panic throughout their fellows. LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind didnt miss the opportunity, and hurled himself forwards, surfing the wave of the battlecry from his people around and behind him as he led the charge towards his most hated foe.
The Shokani army thundered across the rocky ground, covering three hundred yards before the Snake forces managed to react. They slid towards the LyShokan at speed, hissing their lust for blood into the air and waving their cruel weapons over their heads as they got closer. Some individuals on both sides stumbled and fell, but were crushed by the onrush of feet and scales. LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind forgave himself a moment of pride as he realized he would be one of the first to make contact, and raised his sword as he saw the eyes of his first enemy.
The collision of several thousand reptilian troops was akin to two fleshy tectonic plates grinding against each other. In the initial chaos five hundred of each side were messily slain. Blades clashed and bit flesh, and the forces mingled ever more deeply until the cavern floor was awash with blood. LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind ducked a haphazard swing and sent an answering slash crashing into the snakes ribs. Razor-edged steel sliced clean through scaled flesh and underlying bone to cleave into the skull of the snake behind. He pulled his sword free and barely managed to parry an incoming thrust before it opened his chest. He half crouched onto one knee and sprang over the head of the surprised snake, bringing his blade down to open the snake from neck to hip down its spine. Whirling his blade round he cleared enough space to catch a glimpse of his unit embroiled in a hate-fuelled scrum with a larger mob of snakes. They were bloodied but still fighting, long broadswords rising and falling, and he saw that only two had thus far gone down. LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind turned and impaled another snake and then swung it, still skewered, into the ranks of its fellows. Bodies were flung aside, and he leapt into the gap to face a larger snake similar to a cobra. The challenge was made, and a space slowly cleared around them as combatants on both sides stopped to watch.
I am LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind. He said.
Sssarhenesss, daughter of Ssstheno. It hissed at him.
They stood and watched each other for a moment, each taking note of any injuries they could see, how their enemys blade was held, handedness and posture. The Snake coiled its tail and leapt towards Sharpsight, the scimitars in her hands were wickedly curved and sharp. Sharpsight rolled to his left, his blade singing out to parry first one incoming blade and then the other as Sarhenes landed lightly beside him before launching an underhand swing towards his midriff. One blade he managed to turn aside but the other bit deep into his hip, throwing him off his feet. She slithered after him cackling with glee.
You are weak, little one, she mocked, Your kind will fall be they like you. She brought her blades high over her head, an evil grin spreading across her face. Then her eyes shot wide with shock as her prey swung his good leg at her tail and sent her crashing onto the hard cavern floor. She rolled away to find LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind already on his feet, blade held ready and seemingly oblivious to the wound on his side.
My kind are not so weak as to be laid low by such a poor attack. Get up.
He sneered at her arrogance, and waited for her next move. She recoiled and shot her head forwards, sending a stream of hot venom at his face but he was ready and simply ducked the flow of acrid liquid. His sword lashed out and caught Sarhenes under her chin, opening a wide second grin of parted flesh. She howled in agony as dark blood spurted out, and wildly flung herself onto Sharpsight, scimitars forgotten, intent on plunging her envenomed fangs into his neck. She landed heavily, too heavily, and stared into his perfectly calm eyes. Three and a half feet of steel was protruding from her back, thickening blood oozing from the wound to cover them both as he leant towards her ear.
By drawing steel against my kind, he whispered, You lost the war.
Sharpsight rolled the corpse off of himself and stood up, almost wincing from the gash in his hip. He looked into the faces of the LyShokan around him and held his sword high. They returned the silent salute and, with their leader to the fore, crashed into the Snakes with renewed vigour.
For over an hour the fighting continued, the Snakes losing nearly half their number and the LyShokan almost a third. But the Snakes had the larger force to begin with, so the battle could turn either way. LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind knew that his side would win the day as long as minds were as sharp as the blades they controlled. He slew three snakes with two blows and took a quick evaluation of his position. Many of the snakes that werent dead were fleeing, he estimated about two fifths of the enemy force still fighting were wounded and would not last the battle. He was rallying his remaining Shokani together to form one final push into Snake lines when a clear note sang out across the field. The horn blast meant only one thing: The LyCras were sounding retreat.
His unit looked to him for instructions, but he knew the look on their faces meant they wished to follow their in fellows pulling back. Sharpsight roared in frustration, and thrust his sword into a still twitching corpse. He nodded to his kin as he pulled it free and headed back towards his own lines, face twisted by disgust.
I understand your distress LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind, but we of the LyCras believed retreat to be wise under the circumstances. Tell me you can see this also? The voice was not as deep as a warrior LyShokan, and was slightly more melodic, a signature mark of the three robed individuals seated in a half-circle before Sharpsight. They were in a large domed tent made from the hide and bones of one of the larger snake-form creatures that haunt the caves and caverns beneath the surface. The camp was far from the battlefield, in a chamber large enough to fit the Shokani forces and their entourage of LyDenshari.
I do not understand the decision to fall back, said Sharpsight. Had we pushed one last time, we would have slain all of those Snakes that remained, and chased those who fled early to their deaths.
Perhaps, The centre LyCras spoke, raising his hand against the rising anger he saw on Sharpsights face. But we would have lost many more LyShokan in hunting them down than fell during the battle, yourself included. And that is a loss we cannot at this time condone.
Sharpsight knelt, regaining his calm demeanour and took a deep breath. His hip throbbed, and he did not know if the pain was clouding his judgement. LyCras-Openthoughts, I meant no disrespect. My fellow LyShokan are accustomed to fighting in tunnels, as well as on the Snakes home grounds beneath the Hyoo-man cities. We would have prevailed.
You would not.
We had the numbers to do so, LyCras-Openthoughts. Had you not blown the horn of retreat I would have taken the field and safeguarded all LyShokan from any further attack, in my lifetime or the next.
You would not have succeeded, LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind.
His next answer silenced the whispered voices outside the tent.
You are wrong.
The LyCras stared at Sharpsight. They could not believe what they had just heard him say to them. No-one had ever contradicted the LyCras, not in five thousand generations. Several uncomfortable seconds passed, before Openthoughts cleared his throat.
Would you please repeat that, LyShokan-Sharpsight-Hardmind?
You are wrong, LyCras-Openthoughts.
We, are wrong? We of the LyCras, are incorrect? Openthoughts simply could not believe it.
Yes. Was the simple answer.
Openthoughts rallied himself. How so?
Had you not chosen to sound retreat, victory would have been ours, not this dishonour. You shame myself and those who follow me, and you especially shame those who fell defending you. You are no better than the Snakes we slew this day. Sharpsight got to his feet. I shall lead my forces back into the tunnels to finish this fight.
LyCras-Openthoughts rose, and gestured to the honour-guards standing at the tent flap. They stepped into Sharpsights path, blocking him. He turned, drew his sword, and beheaded LyCras-Openthoughts with a flick of his wrist. He felt a sharp impact on the back of his neck, and fell forwards into blackness.
The daylight stung his eyes when he opened them, so bright was the sun. He covered his face with his hands until he cold see without too much blinking, and looked up into a huge stone face, the face of a giant. He screamed at the sight until he realised the giant was not moving, but held aloft an enormous sphere of stone atop its massive shoulders. A male Hyoo-man in white and red clothes and a strange helmet hove into view. It carried an odd talisman in its hands and it spoke to him in a friendly voice.
Are you lost, citizen?
Sharpsight stared into the featureless face of the Hyoo-man and though carefully on his reply. I am indeed, Lost.
The emphasis was beyond the Hyoo-mans understanding it seemed, for it offered a hand to Sharpsight and pulled him to his feet.
Well youre standing under the statue of Atlas, in Atlas Park. Behind you is City Hall you may wanna go see someone in there by the way. Welcome to Paragon City mister
By the way whats your name?
I am LyShokan-Shar
He trailed off. He was exiled, that much would be obvious to anyone in his position. His crime was the murder of a LyShokan, a LyCras for that matter. His honourifics would be removed from all record. His stories would never be told again, and those under his command would be sent into a suicidal raid against a foe too powerful for them to defeat. The only identity he had left was the blood in his veins. It was as though he had never existed.
I am LyShokan. He told the Longbow officer, and walked into Paragon City Hall.
Heroes, the officer muttered under his breath, and returned to his patrol.
