BK 1: Chapter 53 The Tragedy That Became A Myth

Under the night sky, a druid boy and a girl meet in a forest of rose trees.

Each the heir of their tribe, each in love.

The girl ran towards the boy embracing him, "Romulus, my sweet Romulus.

I thought perchance you might not make it before the night's darkest hour."

Romulus lifts her chin and gazes lovingly into her eyes, "Oh Juniper, not even the void itself could not stop me from meeting you on this tender night."

With that the two made love till the morning, each sneaking off upon the brightening of day.

When both were caught that same day by their parents.

Their parent's, the chieftains did not grow angry but rejoiced for by the Tayza and Reyma tribes becoming one an era of great prosperity would begin for them both.

When the two chieftains met they agreed an engagement between their heirs was indeed the best choice.

Thus Romulus of the Tayza Tribe and Juniper of the Reyma Tribe became engaged.

...............…

On the day of the wedding, there was a great feast.

However, upon tasting the sweet blue wine, the guard dressed in colors of the Reyma behind Romulus and the guard dressed in colors of the Tayza behind Juniper both slit the throats of the couple.

As the feast erupted into violence that would be but the first battle of a war, Romulus and Juniper grasped each other's hands, staring into each other's eyes as if they were the only ones there.

They whispered with their dying breathes, "I love you."

...............….

The chieftain and elders of the Tayza tribe sat around a fire inside the gathering hall of a massive tree.

The Chieftain yelled over the fire its flames wavering under the weight of his voice.

The chieftain of the Tayza, "We all know why we are here, today the Reyma murdered my son in cold blood, right in front of me!!

There is no question, there must be war!!!"

Elder Jeric, "Indeed war is the only choice."

The other Elders began chanting war their chant rising through the night sky, all but one.

Elder Aldric spoke, "There is no guarantee that the Reyma are responsible!"

The hall fell into silence….

The chieftain of the Tayza, "You dare defend those who shed my son's blood."

Elder Aldric, "I do not defend them my chief I simply believe the timing is too convenient for a war to result.

Did they too not rejoice when they found out about our heirs' love.

Did their heir not die from an assassin at the same time!

I do not recall us meet about the assassination of their crown princess!

So then who sent the assassin?!

Twas, not I twas not any of us!!

And two assassins killed both heirs at the same moment on, the same day.

It is my belief no my instinct that there is a third party who organized the assassination of both our heirs and want us to destroy each other!!!"

The chieftain of the Tayza, "Show me proof then!!

You speak of instinct and lies yet with my own eyes I saw their tribesman kill my son!!!!!

Show me this proof of conspiracy and we shall talk then!!"

The chieftain of the Tayza made to leave in anger and grief, shouting out as he passed through the entrance, "We attack the Reyma at Dawn!!!"

The elders quickly got up to leave behind him Elder Aldric still sitting in his seat, exasperated.

Motioning forth his aid he told her, "Find me the ones who did this, I want this investigated and start with the tribe to the north.

They have the most to gain should both our tribes be destroyed."

...............…

The war between the Tayza Tribe and the Reyma Tribe raged on.

Both sides evenly matched and losing life in even greater numbers with each battle, their numbers dwindling.

Elder Aldric and his servants investigated the northern tribe Jeyfet and soon found evidence of their crimes against both the Tayza and Reyma.

In his anger Aldric and his servants slaughtered the Jeyfet tribe to the last woman and child.

They took with them the heads of their chieftain, shaman and the two assassins responsible for this mess.

...............….

Elder Aldric carried the four heads into the Chieftain's hut, throwing them at his feet.

Elder Aldric, "Here these are the ones who are responsible for your son's death, they are of the Jeyfet tribe who organized the whole thing.

Now please stop this madness."

The chieftain looked up from his hands his eyes bloodshot with black sunken circles beneath them.

He spoke his voice withered and charred like a whisper in the wind, "It is too late there, there has been too much bloodshed, we will see it through to the end."

Stunned Elder Aldric stood there as the chieftain brushed past him saying, "The Price of Bloodshed is too high for us to falter."

...............…

Elder Aldric sent his message with the heads too the Reyma tribe but the response was the same, the war would continue.

...............….

Under the night sky, the Tayza tribe's army camped outside the capital of the Reyma tribe.

One side had finally gained the upper hand the Reyma capital only filled with civilians and a small number of guards, their army having been wiped out.

The two tribes once in the tens of thousands now numbered only hundreds

In the central temples of the Reyma within the branches of a massive tree the head priest prayed to Ethereal.

Right, when I was about to answer he switched to my Overseers, then right as I sent my energy down to Flora to coalesce an incarnation, the head priest prayed to Flora and was immediately answered.

Thousands of flora's roots struck up through the soil killing the army before their capital.

The head priest rejoiced upon hearing the news and I stopped forming my incarnation.

His prayers had been answered but not by me.

...............…

The Reyma tribe lead an attack with their few remaining guards and a number of their hunters, on the now defenseless Tayza tribe capital and massacred them all.

Thus as Flora's new followers built an altar to Flora upon the ashes of the Tayza people, Flora wept for those that were lost.