Chapter 6

Eons ago before the Forgotten Kingdom came there were the Five Clans. Each Clan took an animal for their totem, in the area that they settled. Eagle, Wolf, Bear, Panther, and Fox all lived in harmony, but it was not to last. A Wolf man, searching the woods for food, came upon a deep pit in the earth. The pit was so deep that no light could reach down into its depths. The Wolf man was going to go around it, but a consciousness invaded his mind.

What is your deepest desire? asked the consciousness in his head

"Who are you?" yelled the man.

I am one who can give you your deepest wish.

"My deepest wish is to one with my Clan totem," the man said without thinking.

In a whirlwind of light, the man was picked up and felt his body change. His hearing improved, his smell improved and he became stronger.

When the man was let down, the consciousness told him to go back to his clan, that his wish had been granted. He returned to his clan and went about his life for the next two weeks. During those two weeks, the moon had been going towards full and on the night of the full moon; life for the Wolf Clan ended. The man found out the price for his wish. He grew taller, coarse dark hair grew from all over his body; claws came from every finger and toe. His head changed, growing longer at his mouth and teeth, as sharp as iron, grew along it. In short, he became a wolf/human being. His animal instincts took over from there and he killed his clan. The ones that survived became like him, Lycans.

There was a third part of the magic used to create these horrific beings. It was a compulsion to follow the orders of their creator, Prius, the consciousness that was in the pit, and any that were placed over them. Prius wanted either the clans to be destroyed or his, to take them away from the Gods. One by one, the Clans fell, first Panther, then Prius wanted prisoners from the Bear Clan. These prisoners were given no choice; they were changed as well, but became ½ bear, ½ human. The head, strength, and claws of a bear with the body of a human. These beings were called Bruintians.

A few survived from the Bear Clan. They went to the strongest clan for help, to avenge their brothers and sisters killed or taken. Howen, clan chief and mage of the Eagle Clan gathered his warriors and all magic users to drive back the hoards of half beings and to seal Prius in the pit. After a long battle the Clans finally won, and Prius's seals were strengthened. The remnants of the Bear Clan decided to go north, so that they would not have to kill their friends, family, and clansmen. The Eagle Clan flourished, they grew and became a kingdom of considerable wisdom and might. The Fox Clan, always secretive, faded into history. No one knows what happened to them, but they were known as the finest killers in the clans. Killers for hire, assassins.

Mortican sat on his throne in a meditative trance that allows his to sense the use of strong magic. Somewhere to the north, his senses the release of powerful magic, the kind that he has not felt in centuries, since the fall of Mengis. He had to know who this person was. He knew that it was not the Prince that got away from him so long ago; it had to be someone new.

"Benator, I need you," called Mortican

Benator was the leader of the Black Foxes, an underground guild of assassins for hire. They are the remnants of the Fox Clan; they allied themselves with Mortican when he destroyed the Forgotten Kingdom. The Black Foxes became Mortican's spy network; they fed him information on new magic users and to sow dissatisfaction among the free people.

"Yes, milord," said Benator.

"I need you to get to work. Find me this new magic user. If he can not be turned, kill him," ordered Mortican.

"Yes, milord."

Nate awakens slowly from the deepest sleep that he has ever known. He tries to move his arms and it is then that he notices two weights on his arms and shoulders. Lying in the crook of his right arm, with her head on his shoulder, was Coria. He face peaceful with a slight hint of a smile framed by her hair. Turning his head to the left he saw Tortha in the crook of his arm, with her head on his shoulder. She too, looked peaceful with her hair spread out framing her face.

This feels normal, right somehow, thought Nate. No, not Nate, Howen. That is my name, that is who I am.

Howen then turned his thoughts to Tortha as he stared up at the ceiling. She loved him, did he love her? It was just last night that he had come to terms with his love for Coria, and here he is again thinking about his love for another woman. He had to admit that he had felt something when they were talking together on the trail. Something like he felt with Coria, not the same, but not all that different.