The Fire Horse (Chapter 1)

The Eternian day was slowly turning to night were those who lived off the sandy shore as fisher or more inland as farmer or in-between as traveler sought safety for a long peaceful sleep. Ahktar who in his guise as an elderly man was mildly content in his house not long ago before it was destroyed by a great beast controlled by an ancient sea faring anthropomorphic Merphibian. Though he was no ordinary Merphibian nor man but was in fact warrior to the God Koklon.

The Mer-Man was called upon by Koklon as redeemer of his will. Despite, the man restoring the Mer-Mans memories as well as purpose, his house was still trampled on though he became free of his Gar-Shan controllers for now. For whereas the Mer-Man has vowed to cease the man's life if twice they met. While the Gar-Shan would either re-capture him or otherwise do harm or worse. The Gar-Shan had incentive not only with him as well they have an even more insidious purpose with his son. Fortunately, the man had escaped with his most precious gift that was his child who carried on his back for miles. The man valued the boy as an individual who inspired him to have gone this far against the wishes of his controllers. Though the man nor this child's freedom was guaranteed. The Gar-Shan would find his resolve an endless well which he would draw from in order to travel to the Royal Palae of Eternia and beyond to protect his loved ones.

The man was weary despite his false age as the miles toward the Krol village were considerable. The man had to rest for a while in the hilly valley region between the Andreenid coast and Lake Kroly. A brief encampment must be made for the night. The man realized that it was in his best interest to conserve his strength for tomorrow when he along with his son travel the rest of the way to Krol village.

The night was approaching as the sun began to set a most adequate time to prepare for a fire. Though before Ahktar collected the firewood needed for the fire he lay his boy down on a patch of grass on the course ground. Then Ahktar opened his long bag to roll out a sleeping bag beside his boy. Ahktar took out his longer sleeping bag as well before searching around for some lose branches. The vegetation around them was sparse so it just took Ahktar longer to collect enough kindling for a fire. As Ahktar came and went with tree branches of wood a stack began forming. Ahktar hadn't yet noticed that Endo was awake probably because he was still lied down.

Finally, Ahktar was rumbling in his backpack for food thought Endo as he watched from afar. There was some metal clanging as a pot was brought out and hung by two sturdy sticks over where the center of the fire would be. Ahktar jostled with two cans of food before setting them near him as he crouched down to start rubbing his two sticks. Ahktar rubbed frantically until a small spark was created then tossed into the leafy splintered bed that was the oven.

It was now that Endo decided to come over to provide company for his father.

As Ahktar spilled some meats into the pot he asked his son,"Are you thirsty at all? You were exhausted from that ordeal. How do you feel?"

Endo could tell how concerned his father was about his wellbeing as he tried to comfort him saying," I will drink when the meal is ready as appropriate. Otherwise, I am fine."

"You're telling me what you think I should hear. There was a lot that happened back there. Though I won't push it, you tell me when you're ready, ok?", Ahktar told his son.

It did not take long until the meat was cooked into a stu which was ready to be served to both father as well as his son.

"Do you have any fruit or nectar berries father?", Endo asked.

"Why of course my hungry child! It seems that you mowed down that meal just in time for dessert.", a small container was then handed to Endo

Endo proceeded to pick up some redberries coated in a honeylike substance then place it in his mouth and suckle it like a pacifier.

Ahktar smiled at his son in his regressive childlike manner as he enjoyed his sweet candy fruit.

Everything was quiet in the area under the starry night sky until a whirring sound cold be heard not so far off.

"I know that dreadful sound! We have to go! We can make it to the village of Krol. We have to!", Ahktar said as he stoked the fire by adding more kindling. "You can add some more firewood while I prepare our sleeping bags." Ahktar told his son while stuffing the sleeping bags with firewood to give them the effect of having bodies in them.

Ahktar taking only his backpack grabbed his son's hand to guide him where the light from the fire was fading until they both disappeared into the night themselves.

A brighter light appeared in the vacated encampment which was followed by a strange almost translucent purple colored oscillating thing. Dust exploded as the strange creature like machine settled down on the ground as its squid like tentacled arms ceased there spinning.

The face of the land squid remained still with its beak pointed at the vacated encampment. When suddenly from one of the stubby tentacled arms came out a long thin feeler with three fingers to crawl around the area. The land squid sent out two more feelers to inspect the bag that was left behind as well as the two sleeping bags. The elongated tentacles showed a lot of dexterity as they searched the remains even emptying out all the contents of the large duffle bag. The fire that was burning was suddenly attacked by all of the tentacles with wood sticks until it was snuffed out.

The longer tentacles finally returned to their housing within the greater arms of the squid to begin oscillating again. As if on purpose the squid once in hover mode purposely went over the campfire to blow it out completely. The search was on as the land squid went off in the direction that Ahktar and his son had sped off in. Then as the land squid went off in the darkness another land squid emerged to follow it until it was out of sight. Once this happened another final land squid followed suit which brought the total number of pursuers up to three.

In the darkly lit area Ahktar ran alongside his son in what was the direction of Kroly Lake. The ground was course like a mixture of sand and dirt but firm so it was good for gaining traction when fleeing for one's life.

Then Ahktar noticed that ground was becoming more level, he asked his son to stop. Ahktar proceeded to take out a pair of night glasses from inside his shirt pocket. Using the night glasses, Ahktar scanned the horizon until he breathed a sigh of relief, saying to his son," The road to Krol is just ahead. It will take a while but if we just follow this road north, we should be in Krol by daybreak."

Then a slight whirring sound could be heard behind the father as he yelled, "Hold my hand as we make a run for it!"

Ahktar and his son Endo ran towards the road that was their salvation! Ahktar in his desperation panted in near exhaustion,
" Don't look back my son! We must not stray from the road ahead of us! This road will lead us to safety!"

"I understand father.", Endo said to reassure his father.

The road was so near when the whirring sound was heard once again. Then the whirring sound doubled in volume as another whirring voice joined until it was joined by a third whirring voice.

The road was met by the sandals of Ahktar along with the metal boots of his son! The road was solid dirt mixed with loose paved stonework. From the vantage point atop the hill in the distance the sand squids were lined up to observe the two small objects in the distance running away on that road. Until it was time for the capture was when in three smoke clouds left in their wake the sand squids burst forth downwards towards that road!

The roaring of the air thrusters carrying the attacking squids closer to their prey was becoming louder from behind Ahktar who began to sweat in the cool air! The roaring of the squid was almost on top of the Ahktar and his son now! Then two of the squid broke off whirl past them! It all happened so fast, as Ahktar and his son were cut off from proceeding along the road when the squids grabbed each other with their tentacled extensions. In so doing the three squids created a diamond barrier which trapped both father and son on the road where they could neither get off or proceed backwards or forwards. They were trapped.

"You have nowhere to go traitor!", a voice growled from with the squid at the rear.

Then an electric surge was heard, its current running along the length of the co-joined tentacled all around them.

Ahktar and his son could feel the intense heat from the wired tentacles which gave them pose in trying to leap over them.

Ahktar thought, since there was a voice from within the one squid meant that there was a thinking Gar-Shan within this mean that there might be a chance to persuade him to let them go.

"Is tech leader Kiro alright?", Ahktar asked to fain concern for whom he though surly perished during Mer-Mans reckoning.

"Kiro has ceased his life functioning, his cause of death was most alarming as well. Kiro was impaled by what was perhaps a sword or spear based on the wound...", another voice interrupted saying," Kiro's carcass was sucked dry of all its fluid he was left a dry husk!"

"That is truly unfortunate...", Ahktar began when this more aggressive voice broke in again," Silence, we need hear from you no longer!"

The first voice proceeded again, "Actually, I want to know who attacked your house which left Kiro vulnerable to whatever killed him while you remain unharmed. You can tell us here and now which will make things more comfortable later on. If no, you will suffer."

"Nooooargghhh!!", It was Endo as he began to change into his altered monster form again under the stress of the situation.

"Contain the child for its own safety.", the first voice told Ahktar who had the ID Disk in his backpack.

Then from further down the road a thunderous sound could be heard approaching fast.

Ahktar did not want to use the ID disk on Endo, but he had little choice otherwise the squid would use harsher methods against him.

The thunder from the approaching machine abruptly stopped as its way was blocked by the squid encircling Ahktar and his son.

The first voice from within the squid told the driver of a very large treading black tank with red trim to go around.

Unfortunately, the driver within had other ideas as it retorted," Do you mind telling me what it is that you are doing to those innocents?"

Ahktar tried to calm his boy down by holding him. The boy was holding back from lashing out with great effort.

"What do you mean...innocents?", the squid leader asked

"I will give you all till the count of 3 to back away from that old man and child.", the voice from within the road monster declared.

The squid leader instead of responding back turned off the voltage in his tentacled arms. Whereby both squids turned off their voltage arms. However, the squid leader had no intention of complying too the intruder's request. Instead, the squid leader shouted, "Take them both as I contend with this barbarian!"

The voice from within the road monster was at three when he saw the two figured being wrangled in by the two squid with their un-charged long arms instead. It was not lethal yet to the driver of his road monster warranted enough for him to finally intervene in the defense of these innocents.

"Noooo!", Endo shouted as he saw his father being entangled by the squid tentacles. This final incursion was enough to break all reasoning within Endo as he simply let his monster side take over!

Endo in his monster form struggled against his squid which had him entangled in its long-armed tentacles! Then with a surge of adrenalin Endo was able to use strength and leverage from underneath to hurl his squid into the other one!

Ahktar was let loose from the sudden attack which gave his son some assurance that he was alright. Though in seeing at how he handled the squid Ahktar encouraged his son to attack the squids. Ahktar emphasized that the squids weak spot was underneath it. Endo with as little reasoning as he had obeyed his father's instructions by first picking up some lose stone in the road. The second thing Endo did was attack the one squid's underside with the stone in his hand as it had landed on its side after being thrown. Smoke began to come out from underneath the squid from Endos attack on it then flames began to spark before the squid's bottom half exploded!

The head squid was heading towards the road monster who had displayed on its front a red dragon's head! The squid which was quicker went around the attacking road monster left side to avoid the collision! However, the whole road monster turned on its axis where it had a built-in red tail which batted the squid away!

The road monster resumed course again towards the old man and his child in an effort to save them from the one squid left!

The hood came off the road machine once it got in-between the squid and the two innocents! An enormously tall man stood from his driver's seat to protect Ahktar as he along with his son whose change was fading were brought into the vehicle by a young red headed boy and an older woman with black hair.

The women with dark hair told the driver, "You must hurry up before the thing is too close! Toss the root, quickly!"

Without reply to the man instead jumped out of the vehicle! T towering man unleashed a whirling triple headed mace as soon as he landed on the ground! The man smashed and battered the squid until it was about to topple over when the man swung his spinning mace which was now three headed fireballs into the squid's underside! The explosion abruptly decommissioned the second squid!

Clad from his helmet to his boots in red armor the man awaited the attack of the squid leader who came at him full speed.

Ahktor watched as the man's great skill combined with nerves of iron almost casually turn his back to start walking away. What was unseen was the root that the man dropped on the ground as he walked back to his road tank.

The head squid never saw what hit him when it hovered over the fallen foot. The only thing the squid leader felt was the explosion from underneath him!

The tall warrior in red armor gave a glance at the burning squid on its side before climbing back into his vehicle to drive the road once again. The hood resealed itself as the large engine of the much larger machine built up into a thunderous roar as the monster blazed off towards the town of Krol. Which was where Ahktar was hoping to bring his son before being rescued.

Taking of his red helmet to display a man with dark hair and a mustache with intense black eyes, the man introduced himself, "I am Rotar, chief warrior of the fire clan. Behind me is Lady Styx the aunt of Trace the young man beside her. We are traveling to the Royal Palace in seek of aide for a quest. What say you?"

"Almost timidly, Ahktar introduced himself along with his son, then saying, "If it is no trouble we are heading to the Royal Palace as well."

"By Brahm! The witch was right all along!", Rotar was referring to the lady Styx to which Endo asked, "You are a witch, but I thought witches were supposed to be old and ugly."

After some genuine laughter to release a little tension Rotar delightfully added, "Of course you can come with us to the Royal Palace! The fire witch predicted it!