The Mighty Gorilla Chieftain. 21

As Msia opened his eyes, he sat up and put his hand to his head. It hurt, the was a large bump there and an open laceration. There was blood running down his face as Msia looked around to see where he was. The last thing he remembered was being attack somewhere near the Dragon cave. Someone must have caught him from his blind side and taken him hostage. Well they will be disappointed when the realize what they had taken captive. me
With a snap of his fingers Msia ignited his hand into a torch. As he looked around, he saw a pile of straw and a small burned out camp fire. There were a few bones scattered around and a old Pantheran blanket. The second Msia saw the blanket, he knew where he was. The straw bed, the small camp fire, the marking on the wall. He knew this place better his throne room in his own country. This was the pit he called hell where Mulu had held him captive. He was back in Mancoro.
"Noooooo!!!" he screamed out as his eyes sparked with dragon fire.
"Yes my old friend." He heard laughing. "You are back where it all started. You thought you could get away from me. You thought you could get the star's power and keep it to yourself. Well you we're wrong. I am Mulu Mwinya Amin. There is no one more powerful then me in Aspana. This is my lands and you will all bow to me!!!!"
Msia let the mad Hyenen rant all he wanted. He didn't care about anything he wanted. All he wanted was to make Aspana a safe place for all the people. Tittles and ambition is not what would keep people safe. He needed courage and honor. Courage and honor must reign from Kimbari to the north, and down through Mancoro and Domina in the south to the lowest tip of Aspana.
"I will never bow to you Mulu." Msia's eyes lit up with Inferno's fire. "And neither will anyone else in Aspana. You can moan and make all the threats you want, we will never crown you as king."
"I think you will." Mulu shouted at him. "You won't have a choice. You think the Dragon's can save you? You are wrong. Not even the power of Terra could stop my ascension to the god I will become."
God? That's when Msia knew that Mulu had gone mad. All these years of fighting must have done something to his mind. Mulu looked at him and started to laugh.
"You think I'm crazy." He walked around to stand right in front of Msia."You think I've lost my mind don't you? Well your wrong. My mind is as strong as it's ever, but now I have the power to back up what I say."
"Panthera and Tigaress will never give in to you." Msia called up out of the pit. "We will fight you every step of the way. All of Aspana will fight you. There's no chance for you to succeed with this madness."
"Failure is not a possibility." Mulu laughed. "Just as success is not a possibility for. You and all your allies will bow before me. You have no choice, it's has all ready been written."
"No if I can help it." Msia stepped back into the shade of the cave and started his shift. His eyes began to glow as his body grew in size. He fell down to the ground and roared up a challenging call as his body shifted to that of Inferno, Aspana's new red dragon. As he blow a gout of flame, Inferno stepped out of the cave and leaped into the air. Shielding himself from Inferno's flame, Mulu stepped back away from the rim of the pit. He watched not sure what was about to happen as Inferno slammed into the energy field that covered the top of the pit. Msia screamed as he fell back to the entrance of the cave. As he got back to his feet, Mulu laughed hysterically at the Dragon's failure.
"You thought I didn't know my enemy?" Mulu stepped back to the pits edge and kicked a loose piece of grass to fall down in Msia's face. "This pit is stronger than it was the last time you were here. Not only will it sap your strength, but it will rip the dragon out of you and hold it here for me. Congratulate me, I will soon be a Dragon and the master of Aspana with the power to fulfill my wildest dreams, and you will be dead! Myumbo Msia. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!"

The jungle was quiet as Sakura led the way through a path heading towards the gorilla city Domina. They were coming back to confront Igoro Baba for his in the Aspana wars. They knew destroying Igoro wouldn't end the war. But it would make a good first step. Sakura was afraid that if he let Igoro go free, he attack later at a critical moment when his forces might have a weak opening.
For Goren it was different. Igoro had destroyed many people in Domina that he loved. His brother and sister Hodari and Mara. Beno and his mother and father dead. Gorillas were an aggressive, but they weren't savage. They weren't the thoughtless slavers that Igoro had made them. Igoro and his slave market had to be destroyed.
As they got closer to the city gates, Goren called for a stop and held out a hand to quiet everyone. Listening carefully, Goren pointed to the west as they all got down to keep from being noticed. Out to the west, a line of slave were being walked into the city. In front they were being lead by a small group of armed Gorillas. Thinking this might be a possible advantage, Quynn sent out a message .
[Astan, How good are you at illusions?]
[What do you mean?] Astan replied.
[Can you disguise Palas and yourself to look like Gorilla soldiers? It might not be necca]
[I think so.] Astan said. [It should be easy.]
[If you can disguise you and Palas, We might have a chance to get back into the city.]
[What about us?] Goren asked. [Hayami, Nyo and I would be recognized the minute we stepped through the gates.]
[Don't worry.] Astan said. [I'll still have enough to disguise you so know one would recognize you. But first we have to take out the guards. We'll take the fourth in front if you can get the one's in the middle and the rear guard. But we have to time this right. We don't want them to sound an alarm.]

With the snap of his whip, Fanka Jahar yelled for his captives to move on. There were Elephants, Lycaons and Rhinon all chained and walking in sets of two. It had been a long campaign. They were out hunting for two month. but it had been successful. They were returning home with two lines of twelve. Fanake livked his lips as he thought about the rewards Igoro would give him for his bounty. The Elephants had been slow to move but easy to catch. Being so big, he was surprised at how easy it had been to take them. The Rhinons had been different. Those single horned giants had to be drugged before they were taken. The Lycaons were a another story. They had been caught returning from some battle with the Hyenens. Fanaka and his warriors had come upon their camp late one evening catching them unprepared for battle. The two months had been, but very rewarding.
But now it was time to be home again. Fanaka thought he could use the rest. He was tired of old field rations and was looking forward to a hot meal and the attention of one of Domina's harbor females.
With another crack of his whip, Fanaka yelled at the stopped line to move on. Angry he charged to the front to find his lead Rhinons down on their knees.
"Get on your feet and move!"
One of the Rhinons lifted his head to look at Fanaka, then turned away.
"How dare you ignore me!" Fanaka screamed lifting his whip to strike at the tired Rhinon. "I said get moving!"
As the whip came down, a brown furred arm reached out and caught the shape tip and pulled Fanaka down to the ground. With two punches to the Gorillas jaw, Fanaka was down and out. As Sky dropped his illusion, Goren ran up the the front and started opening chains to get the captives free.
With the chains off, the captives started to run off, but Sky stopped them with a quick force shield gathering them all together.
"You can run for home." Astan said quietly. "Or you can stay and help us to break Domina from its days of slave trading. I can't tell you it will be easy, and I know some of us may die, but this has to be done, if we want Aspana free from its slave trading legacy."
"We were taken while we slept after a raid on our lands." Said a Lycaon as he rubbed the chafe marks from chains on his wrist. "I'm with you and so are my warriors."
The Rhinons agreed and the Elephants stood there looking confused until someone explained it to them. Then they joined in. With everyone ready, Astan sent the signal for Goren and his warriors to head in for the city's gate. For the Gorilla's, today they would be taking their first step into a peaceful future

Hyrd was tired of these night hours. Every night, back and forth, back and forth. And for what? Nothing ever happened here and, it was such a waste of his time. He could be at home with Neesia doing something passionate and wild. Instead he was here pacing back and forth at the gate. Yes, Domina had enemies.  Humans, Pantherns, the Tigars, even the Chimps and the Orangutan hated the Gorilla's. But none of them had ever been bold enough to attack. Not even after the Gorilla's had been raiding in their land.
 No one would dare to attack Domina, day or night. They were to afraid of what Mulu Amin would do to them. And they were right. Mulu was a vert powerful, more powerful then any of his ancestors.
And stronger then all of them. Now that he had taken the power of the Demon, no one could hope to stand against him. Mulu's Demondogs were ripping their their way through Domina's enemies one at a time. The first of the Rhinon clans had fallen before Domina's attack. Their lord now served as Mulu's lead chariot puller feeling his whip on his back to keep him moving. Then came the Zebran's in their flat plains. They had tried to escape, but Mulu and his shamans had put up a mystical wall leaving them no where to go but right into Domina's cages. Next came the people of Namemiua swamp. The fighting had been hard, but the Namemiauns were no match for Mulu's water breathing warriors. They swept in  by sea and took the Humans by surprise. The Humans fought valiantly, but Mulu's magic was just to strong for them. Within a single night, the Humans were beaten and caged in wagons and taken out of their city to be used in Mulu's deadly war.
With the west and the south under his control. Mulu started his move on the north and the west. The Pantherans and their allies would not be far off. Mulu had heard reports of their gathering and preparing to march. There day was about to be on them. Mulu was ready for a real enemy.
As Hyrd paced, a strange face appeared out of the jungle calling out for entrance into the city. Hyrd went to the gate and opened the door and stood at the porticliff.
"Who are you?" Hyrd asked. "I don't remember you from any of the practice sessions."
"I just arrived in Domina last night." Astan called trying to do his best at using a Gorilla dialect. "I was sent out on a mission this morning to find the Orangutan clan in the eastern hills."
"You were sent by yourself?" Hyrd looked down on him with doubt. "Catpain Bayana would never send anyone out by himself. It's too dangerous. The pygmy's would tear you apart and make a quick dinner of you. Your lying. Who are? Where do you come from?"
Moving closer to a stand where Hyrd could see him, Astan tried harder to convince the gorilla he wasn't lying.
"Look. I have proof." He stepped closer while he fished inside his mock armor for something." "Here it is." He said as he held something out to the Gorilla. "Captain Bayana's order in writing, Here, take a look."
Looking to his left and right, Hyrd saw the eight guards stepping out as they got ready to challenge the strange grey gorilla. As he looked back, Hryd saw something moving fast at his left. Something grabbed one of the guards and pulled him away into the darkness.
"What was that?" Hyrd called back to his comrades. Pulling knifes free, they all looked around determining not to fall to the same thing that hunted them in the tall grass. "Don't move. Someone get inside and bring Master Mulu out."
Frightened by the thing in the night, the city warriors moved to make a circle with Hyrd in the center. With their weapons put and ready to strike, they started forward toward thew grey gorilla.
"I am not here to battle." Astan said as he bowed down never taking his eyes of of Hyrd. "I come in peace, just like Mulu did as he slaughtered the people of Statrspeak. I promise you the same treatment that he GAVE THEM!!"
With a mighty leap, Astan shifted to his Man tiger form and attacked. His claws ripped into two Gorilla's as he jumped to his next victim. Scared, the Gorilla's raised their weapons to defend themselves as something fell from the sky like a flashing blade of death that tore into the warriors taking out three more.
As Hyrd looked around at his great band of Gorilla warriors, he realized that there was only three of them left. Puffing out his chest getting ready to charge, Hyrd raised his sword getting ready to give his life for his city,
"Stop!" Goren said as he stepped out of the jungle. "I know you Hyrd. You are very brave and you do not deserve to die here at the city gates fighting for a mad gorilla like my father. He brings nothing but sorrow and death to our people. He kills woman and children. Is he really the chief you and your warriors wish to die for?
Hyrd looked from Astan to Palas, then on to Goren. He knew of the honor less things Igoro had done. He had even participated in some of his attacks. He wanted to speak out, no, scream out how wrong it was, but he couldn't dare to disobey his chief. But if Goren was prepared to challenge him for the leadership of the Gorilla's there could still be hope.
"Are you prepared to challenge him?" Hyrd said as he lowered he sword. "Will you make the challenge?"
[Be careful Goren.] Astan sent. "If there's one thing Sakura and I have learned its that even a friend can stab you in the back.]
[What do you mean?]
[He means that Hyrd looks and talks like  friend, but you don't know what his intentions are.] Palas sent.  [He could lead us right into your father's trap.]
[I have known Hyrd since we both were young and clutching our mother's breast. He would never betray me. He has no more love for my father then I do.]
[OK.] Palas nodded. [Our lives are in you hands.]
"Yes," Goren said as Astan, Nyo and Hayami came out of the jungle to stand beside him. "I will make the challenge. I will stand as the chieftain for Domina."
Having made his challenge, By law the Gorilla's could not touch him or any of his followers. Goren and his group were silently marched into the city pass hundreds of gorilla bystanders.
From the front gate they passed through the commons. hundreds of eyes stared down on them. Some were strangers but many were friends Goren, Nyo and Hayami had lived and grown up with.
As Astan looked up, he could see them staring and whispering. The word of Goren's challenge would move fast, going from gorilla to gorilla straight into the royal palace where Igoro would be waiting for them.
"Keep your eyes open." Goren told them. "My father will try to separate us to get me alone. No matter what happens, stay together,"
As they walked, voices all around them started to mumble. It grew louder and louder until they could barely hear anything else. As Nyo stopped and put his hands  over his ears, the crowd swallowed him into its self. Hayami quickly dived in and pulled Nyo back into line. With a nod of thanks, they turned into the market place were the slaves were being sold. As they made their way through the square, everything stopped. Slaves stared out at Goren and his people. The guards that were keeping them in line looked out and frowned at Goren. Many of them knew who he was. Since they all worked for Igoro, Goren was the enemy. Over the years, there had been many encounters between Goren and Igoro's warriors. Given a chance, they would attack him on sight but Hyrd and the challenge prevented them from making a move.
From the market, they started into Treyvon hills where the houses where the nobles of Domina lived. Houses here were much more elaborate with fancy gardens and and high roofs built around tall trees. Word of Goren's challenge had moved far in front of them. There were richly dressed nobles standing in front of their homes and high up on garden balcony's. There where citizens whispering and quietly talking, betting on the outcome of the challenge. Some took Goren's side while others had more to lose if Igoro fell from power. These were the slave owners and brokers. They knew if Igoro lost, their days would be numbered.
From Treyvon Hills, they turned and  headed for the noble halls of Domina's palace where Igoro, the chieftain of Domina lived. As they started for the palace, there was a loud cheer coming from the peasants and the lower born. That was when a number of Igoro's tried to attack. A trio of gray haired gorillas in the armor of Domina jumped with their swords held high and rushed at them. Hyrd pulled his sword and put himself between the guards and Goren. As the guards stuck, Hyrd held his sword high in defense of Goren. as he held them back. Four of his comrades dove in to take down the attacking city guards.
"Have you no honor?" Hyrd shouted. "You would attack someone who made a challenge!! Are you dogs or gorillas?"
In minutes the fighting was all over and Hyrd's warriors had pulled Igoro's warriors off of Nyo and Hayami. Hyrd checked to see if there was any serious damage to Goren's warriors. Satisfied that they were ok, Hyrd turned to the three attackers."
"You have interfered with a honor challenge." Hryd said as the warriors were bound in iron cuff. "There is no excuse for such insolence. You will be dealt with by the winners of the challenge. You should prey that your master wins. Get them out of here."
As the warriors were lead off, they made their way into the yard of the palace where Igoro stood dressed in his green and gold armor.
"So you have at last come home to pay your respects to me." Igoro said with an evil sneer as he held out his hand for Goren to kiss and bow before him. "Bow and I will forgive all of your past transgressions."
"Bow?" Goren looked at his father with disgust. "I will never bow to you murderer. You killed my mate, and my brother and sister. You destroyed families, clans and made slaves of thousands of free people of Aspana. It is you who should be seeking forgiveness for your sins. I am here to make Domina the proud land it uses to be."
"How dare you speak that way to me!" Igoro screamed at Goren. "You forget who it is you are speaking with."
"No, I know who you are." Goren took a step forward as his eyes began to glow with wild magic. "You are Igoro Baba, my father and the chief of Domina. I am here to challenge you for the chieftain staff."
As Goren made his challenge, the silver staff of his Grandfather appeared high over his head and dropped down into his hand.
"Do you think that scares me?" Igoro laughed. "I don't need that trinket to defeat you. I have the true power of the gods.!"
"If that is what you think, then come father." Goren said as he twirled the staff in front of him. "Kill me if you can."
As Igoro roared he puffed out his chest and hammered it with his fist. Then with a twist of his hands, Igoro formed a power ball and sent it flying at Goren. New to the use of magic, Goren stepped back holding the staff out in front of him. Like an arrow of bright light the power ball few at Goren. As it struck the staff, Goren felt the power ball being absorbed by the silver staff. Thought Goren had studied battle plans since he was a child he had no idea how magic worked. Quickly he turned the staff on his father, but nothing happened.
[That's because you have to use your magic!] Astan sent. [Don't you know anything???]
[No.!!] Goren sent back loudly. [I have never done magic!! How does it work??]
[Your Grandfather swore that you had powerful magic in you.] Astan said. [This is your chance to prove he was right. Reach deep down into your soul. It's there like a bond fire. You have to grab it and take it. Take command of your power and send it at Igoro before he kills us all!!]
"Its a waste of time." Igoro laughed. "My son has no magic. He is as useless as his weak Grandfather was. It took me two weak blasts to kill him. It will only take you to kill you. Say hello to your brother and sister when you see them in the dark lands of death, and tell your mate, her head still decorates the door to my palace!"
Looking behind Igoro Goren saw Shauri's head posted on the gate. As he looked at her sweet face in its death stare. Something deep down inside Goren started to burn. It grew hotter and hotter as the tears ran down his face to fall and be absorbed int the silver staff.
"You will never again put anyone I love in danger again!!!!" As Goren pointed the staff at his laughing father, a bolt of intense power streaked out and burned right through Igoro's chest. As it burned into him he screamed out the name.
"Xuthulu!!"
Above his head a dark cloud formed. As they watched, a tentacled hand reached down and grabbed Igoro and pulled him screaming into the darkness. So died the terrible Igoro the master of Domina.
As Goren stepped back to Astan and Nyo. they stared blindly as the dark cloud disappeared into the mountains.
"What was that?" Nyo asked them.
"I'm not sure." Astan said. "But I have a feeling we'll see it again."