Jemriah
Minutes after minutes, minutes turned into hour, hour turned into hours. There was not a single sign of tomb in aravan forest.
They walked, kept walking, circled around the forest twice.
Yet there was no sign, not even a clue.
"We should head back", jemriah urged. "I do not want Irene getting worried".
Jorath smiled. "She'll be fine. We are not going back until we find that tomb".
Jemriah hissed. "There is no tomb here then. We made sure of that. Validated, cross-checked, examined every single pattern thoroughly. Twice".
"Well, not enough", said jorath. "Tombs... They are hard to find. Certainly harder to enter. Gaining power from them... Is even harder".
"There should be a pattern if we look carefully enough", jorath continued. "Look over there".
Jemriah glanced over his shoulder.
A small tree, just slightly taller than the two.
The small tree did not have any specific quality that would make it seem special.
However, jemriah noticed one thing.
All the trees stood clustered in quiet groups, all but one. An ashen-white tree set apart from the rest, its pale bark catching the light of something faintly shining upon it.
"Yes... How did you? How did you do that?"
Jorath smiled. "Noticed it, when passed through this area. The second time it wasn't much of a coincidence. And now that we are here for the third time, it is basically a confirmation".
Jemriah nodded. "You are certainly more experienced than the last time".
"Ah... The battle of liberation. You, me and father supporting the capital and king Amren
Charging on capital With his forty thousand knights".
"Dragons and khorin tribe included", jemriah said laughing.
"Was a good time. When you used to fight for us. You saved my life in that battle. I have not forgotten it, never will", jorath said with a half smile.
Jemriah sighed. "Sonavr. My life and sword only belongs to my son now. Iken and I will die if it means protecting him from those vultures".
"They are not all bad. Just father and haldren. Grothan misses you dearly. He remembers you still. Training all day with him in barracks. He was your sword master after all".
"I remember everything. Even father, but that does not mean I wish to go back there.
I will cherish those memories forever. Even the day I die, I will remember every single face that I have spoken to. They were kind to me until they weren't ".
Another half smile, this time from both.
"Shall we then?", asked jorath. "Let me take it from here. Just have your sword prepared and watch my back".
They both walked, slowly. Towards the single ashen tree, which was still shining.
"Oh... it is one of those", jorath said. "Need focus and precision".
Jemriah was curious. This was his first time he was going to see the tomb. He was well aware of the powers but not of tomb. He was indulged in wars and topics of tribes and races. That interested him more. Now, he was curious as to what he was going to see?
Jorath raised his sword high and drew a long, heavy breath. With a single clean stroke, he cut through the tree, severing its upper half.
"The shine should remain", jorath said. "Yes... Still shining".
Jemriah walked over and looked at the half that remained, still shining.
He glanced toward the shining tree and saw a great hollow carved into it's trunk, a vast opening that led somewhere else entirely, clear and unmistakable before his eyes.
"Another world in there?", jemriah asked, growing more curious.
Jorath laughed. "Sort of... A tomb lays there".
"But how? It was here, all this time? How is it even possible?"
"Tombs, brother", jorath smirked. "It makes no sense yet at the same time, it does".
Jemriah smiled. "Was that easy huh? Thought it would take several tries".
"I won't say that, yet", jorath said. "The tombs have protecter. Different each time.
In my life, I have seen two. One had fire breathing peacocks. Other had a giant made purely out of stone".
Jemriah nodded. "Hope we do not run into krakens, always been your favourite".
Jorath frowned. "I am serious. These tombs are no joke. We have to be careful".
"Are we just going to talk? I am getting more and more curious. Lets just go".
Jorath nodded.
"Me first, then you", said jorath.
With that he carefully angled himself and pushed himself off the small hollow. Head first.
Scream sounded in jemriah's ears. A loud one. Not of fear but of excitement.
Jemriah did the same taking a long heavy breath.
Jemriah stepped into a space several feet high, it's floor drowned in still water. A chill brushed his skin and threaded through his hair, the cold air filling his lungs as blue hues shimmered all around him.
He began to drown at once, water closing over him. then, in a sudden surge of crushing pressure, he was wrenched violently upward.
His bearings and hair wet from water. Which was several feet high.
Before him rose a high, elevated platform, circular, ringed with flowing steps that climbed up from the water. At the very top of the stairs stood Jorath, waiting, a quiet smile upon his face.
"Come on up brother!"
Jemriah slowly made his way through the water, his lungs mess, his breath out. Eyes stinging with pain.
His hand found the stairs, cool and slick beneath his fingers, and he climbed slowly upward. As he rose, ornate patterns revealed themselves along the steps and walls,murals of forgotten histories, symbols of ages past, and lone figures etched in flowing lines. Everything around him glowed in a bright blue.
"What even is this place?", jemriah asked.
"Puzzles. Several of it. History of sumaka. Every tomb has a story to tell with these murals. If we can decipher the true meaning and put together the story it's trying to tell. Then, finally the tomb will deem us worthy".
"What if we fail?"
"There is no question of failure. We either decipher this or the tomb will kill us".
Jemriah nodded. "What of the protecter? Don't see it?"
"Yes, unfortunately it seems like this particular tomb do not like us very well", jorath said closing his eyes.
"What? Why?", jemriah asked growing tense.
Jorath made a gesture with his eyes.
Jemriah glanced over his brother's shoulder. His eyes widened with shock.
A colossal giant sat at the tomb's gate, his massive body locked in thick, battered armor. The metal was cracked and scarred, beaten by countless blows, yet it still clung to him like a second skin. He sat unmoving, heavy and silent, as if he were part of the stone itself.
The tomb behind him was broken. It's great doors lay shattered, stones split and thrown aside. Pillars had fallen and cracked, their carvings ruined and half-buried in dust. The place felt torn open, raw and brutal, with darkness seeping out from the wreckage like a wound that would not close.
"A giant. A bigger one at that", jemriah said, still In shock.
"Not just any giant my brother. Blood giant. The strongest of them all. Used in wars and punishments".
They both looked over him for a minute. None of them breaking silence. They looked at each other and nodded.
The giant held a massive sword, it's size fitting his own. As two strangers entered, the blade began to glow. A silent warning that his long sleep had been disturbed.
World of sumaka through eyes of haldren-
I like the giants of traflr. Especially blood ones. They are taller than normal ones. Their blades are forged from depths of samersan.
Dwarven city which makes extraordinary weapons. Father's weapon,shanera was also made by them. They are very greedy tho. I want to kill them all and keep only their king alive. So, he can make countless, precious weapons for us.