Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

Heroes of Katonia
Chapter 1


Coda knelt before Asmora with as much ease as he could muster. His head lowered in pretend respect for the ancient snake demon that sat in front of him on his usual throne. His position helped to hide the sweat that beaded down his forehead.
Asmora’s red reptilian eyes bored into him as if he could read his thoughts. It wasn’t helping much with his carefully practiced act.
It was taking all of his will power not to attack the b*****d who had ruined his life more than once.
Asmora’s control over him had ended several weeks ago when the spell had broken. Since then, he’d tried to contact the village. Finally, he had managed just that. Now the village warriors were outside the fortress battling Asmora’s horde.
“Well, Captain, tell me what is happening.” Asmora drawled in velvet tones.
A shiver raced up Coda’s spine as he remembered that Asmora’s calm and bored attitude only made it more likely for him to lash out unexpectedly. And at the moment, he was the captain.
But not for long, he thought. It didn’t relieve his ever growing fears of being discovered.
“The village warriors are being a nuisance, as usual. Shall I take care of them for you, sir?” Coda replied keeping his tone carefully snide.
“Bring me Moonsilver, preferably alive, but dead is just fine. The man is really becoming a pain. Other than that, do what you wish with the rest of the fools. I know you love to lose control and kill everyone around you. If you kill some of the horde, pity, but not great loss” Asmora said.
Coda couldn’t help but gulp, and hoped it hadn’t been audible. Asmora had one thing about him right, during a battle he had the tendency to lose control if his anger got the better of him. Several of the villagers either hated him or feared him because of his strength.
A bead of sweat dripped from his bow and onto the white marble floor of the throne room. Coda grew rigid as his grey-blue eyes stared at the minute drop.
Asmora raised a brow. “Is something the matter, Captain? You seem…tense to be in my presence.”
“No, Sir. Nothing of the sort,” Coda replied quickly.
A frown twitched on Asmora’s face but he said no more. “Very well,” he sighed. He held a pale slender finger towards the colossal oak doors in dismissal. “You may go now, Captain.”
“Yes, Sir.” Coda stood up, doing his best to avoid the pale features that watched him like a snake watches its prey. The thought sent a shudder through his body. He turned around and began to exit the room.
“Oh, and Captain?”
“Sir?”
He turned halfway around and instantly wished he hadn’t. Asmora was staring at him with a smug expression. Coda hoped that his eyes portrayed nothing, which was usually the case.
“I trust you won’t fail like my other Captains. After all, a good captain doesn’t disobey orders, now does he?”
Coda had to stop himself from gulping. He managed to keep a stoic expression, despite his growing anxiety. “No, Sir,” he managed at last.
“Good.”
With that, Coda exited the throne room.
When he had put a good distance between himself and Asmora he stopped and placed a hand against the wall to steady himself.
He sighed with relief. “That was too close,” he breathed. Now all he had to do was make it out of the fortress and find Rahjau, who would be out there battling while waiting for him.
Coda smiled at the thought of being able to see his best friend after three years. But then he reminded himself that it didn’t matter how close he was to seeing Rahjau again, he might as well be worlds apart while he was still in the fortress.
So, he darted through the twisting corridors until he made it out and into the battle.


Rahjau twisted and turned with his sword as he battled one of Asmora’s men. Within seconds, the idiot was dead and he was cleaning his sword off on the grass.
Suddenly, Coda’s familiar form raced past him in a blur of white and black. He smiled and raced after Coda, but someone grabbed him from behind and slammed him into the ground.
He struggled against the hands that pinned his shoulders.
The pressure lifted off his shoulders and Coda stuck his hand out to help Rahjau up.
Rahjau took it and pulled himself up.
He took several moments to take in Coda’s appearance. Coda’s skin had lightened some over the past three years but his white hair remained its same spiky disheveled self. He was close enough to see that the blue tint in Coda’s eyes was nothing more than blue specks.
The tall lean muscular body was still attired in the close fitting black garb to reveal the inhuman muscles. Coda’s lips curled in a smile, revealing the fangs that also marked him as something other than human.
Rahjau allowed his gaze to lower to the sword strapped to Coda’s hip. The emerald hilt glittered in the sunlight like a lethal jewel.
Coda smiled, “Come on, I think it’s time we show these guys how warriors really fight!”
Rahjau nodded a wicked grin curled his lips as Coda unsheathed his sword.
Together, they whirled back to back through the melee, swords flashing deadly fire.
Everyone froze when Cantar’s familiar shadow loomed over head as he dove out of the sky and over them. Jets of fire escaping his gaping jaws.
The battle was over.