The Story of Dark Cloud

[Jedi_Knight]

OOC: Okay my second attempt at this story.....I've re-vamped it abit since the last time I tried to post this up.


*************************


The story begins on the planet earth, nearly thirteen billion years after the first fall of man and after all life has been extinguished from her lands. It has taken this long for the rebirth of the planet to come to its climax. All the remnants of her inhabitants who once roamed her seas, lands and airs have long since been gone. Now so many years after their reign, new life has sprung about from their ashes to repopulate the desolate planet once more. Creatures never before born to this world during its first cycle of life, are now roaming the lands. Animals that lived in different times from their ancestors now breathe the same air and are warmed by the same golden light that comes from the burning Sun.

And as always, time continues to pass, ever changing the seasons and reshaping the fertile earth preparing her for the birth of future life. And…when the world is once more ready for them, the nation of man is born. As before, men begin as simple creatures learning the ways of the world around them. However, it does not take long for the nature of men to rise to the surface and feed their desire of conquest and domination over the other the animals and each other. As the nation of men grows in strength and numbers, they begin to understand concepts of science and magic forming clans and tribes of power. In time it seemed as though men would once again evolve into the masters of this world. However that was until a very odd thing happened that had never happened before. A second nation of men was born, a nation of human beings mixed with the various breeds of the animals of the earth.. This second nation of men prove to be far closer to the creatures and animals of the earth and shy away from their cousins whose weakness of greed and power run strong in their blood as well. It is that very weakness for power that swells in the hearts of men and serves as both the basis for their existence as well as their eventual destruction.

The time is now at a crucial point were a battle between the opposing factions can once again wipe out life from the planet. A great warrior from the nation of men has risen; his name is Memnock. Memnock is the leader of the largest nation of men, the faction that seeks to control all life on this planet and bring every creature under his rule.

Opposing the rule of Memnoch is the Nation of Beast, the many animals of the world both pre-historic and present live side by side and serves under the Empress Ashanti a 10 foot tall white lion with sapphire flame eyes. She protects the western kingdom and was one of the first creatures to walk upon the earth shortly after its rebirth.

To the North lies the Nation of Dragons. Although powerful, the kingdom of dragons is a relatively small population with tremendous power. They are ruled by the wise king Ragnarok. He is a golden dragon with the ability to take the form of a man. Although his kingdom is small, he has formed a powerful alliance with the empress Ashanti and stands beside her against the nations of men.

The two Nations of Men are the largest of all the others. Even when they are combined, the other creatures of this planet do not number as many as the nation of men. Memmnoch is the ruler of the larger of the two factions of men and resides in the southern lands. In his kingdom the people enslave all other creatures and commit great atrocities against the mother earth. He uses knowledge of science and magic to bend the other creatures to his will and force them into slave labor.

The Yaqui are the second nation of men. They are the ones who are born into various animal families and can take the form of that creature at will. They are gifted with a greater sense of Mother Nature and have a strong affinity for maintaining the natural balance of the world. Of this nation two separate kingdoms share power. To the North East is the Empress Shala-vel protector of the woodland realm. In the South East lies the kingdom of Wild Horse a great shaman who communes with the spirits and commands the mystic energies of the mother earth.


In secrete a council of elders meet in the shadows and converse of the visions they’ve seen.


Ashanti: “I see that the mother earth has seen fit to share her dream of what is to come with the rest of you”

Shala-vel: “Yes your highness, ‘Here, hidden in shadow shall you meet and swear an oath to nurture the light born of eternal darkness’ whispered the voice of the mother earth as she guided me to this place”

Ragnarok: “I fail to see why the great mother has provided her visions to the very people who destroyed her in the beginning, the very same people in fact who seek to destroy her now! Queen Ashanti, perhaps we should discuss the visions of the Mother elsewhere?”

Wild Horse: “If her presence bothers you so much brother Ragnarok than I believe me being here will not make you feel any better. However, I can understand how you are unable to see the true message behind the Earth Spirits vision. It is your hatred for men that blinds you to her words and true intentions. You see only what the veil of anger allows you to see. And in that way my proud brother Ragnarok, you have become like the one you hate the most.”

Ragnarok: “What does a Yaqui shaman know of my anger?! You lie protected by the great Mother Earths forest. Your people have not suffered as mine have from the treachery of mankind!! From the oppression of Memnoch!!”

A sudden roar crashes through the darkened night like a clap of thunder giving way to the Queen of the West the white lion as she speaks to calm the dragon king.

Ashanti: “Ragnarok, the mother has shared these visions with us, the leaders of her children. This is something that involves all of our people, and we as the elders of our nations must be willing to put aside our differences. We must come together as one in her defense against Memnoch. Aside from her vision, I have received news that Memnoch has begun to tip the balance of nature.”

Shala-vel: “Yes, demons of chaos and wraiths from the underworld have begun to cross the planes of existence with greater ease. And the cursed touch of the undead has begun to infect the southern tribes of Wild Horses people.”

Wild Horse: “I know your people have suffered much brother Ragnarok, but do not think that my people go untouched by the evil that Memnoch has weaved. Great suffering is endured by my people and yet it goes unnoticed, we Yaqui do not weigh our hardships against those of our brothers and sisters. We understand that for us to succeed we must come together as one people as one children beneath the great Earth spirit and protect her and all her people against the fallacies of Memnoch. “

Ashanti: “Agreed, the answer we seek is not simply in the destruction of Memnoch and his people. But in the redemption of the fallen nation of man, who have been misguided by the evil ones lies and deceit.”

Ragnarok: “I find it hard to argue with such a wise elder as you Queen Ashanti. However, I warn that the wickedness in men’s hearts will not wash away with the destruction of Memnoch or his influence. It is in their nature to crave power and be slaves to greed. Eventually another will take his place and this endless cycle of mans perseverance to dominate will once again continue.”

Shala-vel:” Even so great Dragon lord, Memnoch may be beyond redemption…. but his people are not!”

Ashanti: “Wild Horse, I am surprised that you braved the journey from the lands of the south east. I know that your wife is with child and will be blessed any day now.”

Wild Horse: “Thank you great Queen, but I would not have your great-grandchild born into a world where their father did not fulfill the duties of his people and answer the great Earth spirits call.”
Ashanti: “My grand-daughter Wind is strong and will have the love and help of your people to ease her through the miracle of life should you not return in time. I know that your heart is with her.”

Shala-vel: “Lord Wild Horse if I may?”

Wild Horse: “Speak sister of the north”

Shala-vel: “Sky is the mother of the Yaqui and a direct descendent of Queen Ashanti.”

Wild Horse:” Yes, the Yaqui were created when the Queen of Beasts gave birth to a woman. A woman named Sky, she was the first of the human race who could take the form of an animal and commune with the spirits. She eventually fell in love with a mortal man who would later become the father of Wind my wife and her twin brother…”

Ragnarok:”Memnoch”

Shala-vel:” Then perhaps lord Wild Horse, your son is the light that the mother earth speaks of in her vision. The one that will be born from great darkness?”

Wild Horse: “Watch your tongue! My wife is of the purest heart, you will find no darkness in her like that of her brother!!”

Ashanti: “Calm yourself proud Yaqui, I know that my granddaughter is not like her brother she has her mother to thank for that. But the truth remains that the blood of her deceitful father runs through her as it does through my grandson Memnoch. When my daughter Sky learned of her husbands deceitful nature and hidden ambition to unify the three kingdoms under one rule she removed her self from his presence and hid with my grandchildren in the forest of what is now your kingdom. Wind and Memnoch lived in the loving care of their mother, but the heart of man was strong in Memnoch and in time he sought out his father. He embraced the evil blood line that dwelled with in him. It is that same evil bloodline that dwells with in your wife Wind, the very same bloodline that will be passed to her descendants.”

Ragnarok: “And from that evil blood will come new light…..the light of your child!!”

Shala-vel: “Lord Wild Horse you must surely see that your child will be the light born of eternal darkness. The new life that will help keep the balance of the earth from tipping towards complete chaos”

Wild Horse:” I hope you are all wrong. I would not wish for such a heavy fate to befall my child, I would rather the duty of such a burden rest upon my shoulders.”

Ragnarok: “Perhaps, the wise shaman would rather his child be born a slave to the devil Memnoch instead?”

Wild Horse raised his right hand just as the dragon lords breath pushed the final words of his sentence passed his lips and took aim with his bow and arrow.

Ashanti: “ENOUGH!! Lord of the Yaqui lay down your weapon !! Lord of Dragons BITE YOUR TONGUE!!! The time for us to bicker has ended. We must advance with preparations for the fulfillment of the Mother Earths prophecy. Our time grows short and I have news that Memnoch has dug deep into the Mothers core and unearthed a powerful weapon of the fist age. If this is true and he is allowed to unlock its great power, the balance will surely tip in his favor.”

Wild Horse: “Is this the weapon that is said to contain the power of the sun? The one fabled to be of the great weapons of mass destruction that brought the first age of man to and end. It was believed that the great Earth Spirit swallowed it into her womb forever locking it away from those who would seek to use it against her or her children.”

Shala-vel:” If Memnoch has this weapon than the Mother Earth has surely sent us ours….”

Ragnarok: “We will wait for the birth of Wild Horse and Wind’s child. If any signs from the mother earth are present at the birth than we will all agree to train the child and prepare them for the journey ahead…..”


Ashanti: “Agreed”

Shala-Vel: “Agreed”

Wild Horse: “……agreed”

That was the last night that all four leaders of the nations of men and creatures gathered together. Now in the protected lands of my people by the night of an eclipsed moon, I listen to Morning Wind my wife daughter of Sky and granddaughter of Queen Ashanti, scream as she brings life into this world.

It has been many years since another has been born with the spirit of our ancestors living inside them like a temple. My son, Dark Cloud is such a child. For no other child of our tribe, clan or nation has ever been born on the night of a total lunar eclipse. The sign of hope, of pure light being born of the darkest magic, and it favors my son the son of a shaman a leader of his people. Even now I look into his newly born eyes and marvel at how the spirits of our ancestors work in him. For just behind those beautiful dark eyes, glow a red hue of energy a type of spiritual energy passed down to him from all the Yaqui elders who have come before. Upon his skin is the mark given only to the Yoeme, a special seal that will allow him to traverse the astral planes of existence. He will become strong and he will come to know pain….for the world is such now that only pain and despair await all who dwell outside the protected kingdoms, and all who wish to travel or dwell in the lands of Memnoch must be strong of mind and body. His journey will begin on the fifth new moon of his birth. The ways of the spirit and the journey of the mind will be the most difficult for him…..but soon he will grow strong and he will be ready to carry the hopes of the mother earth and all her people. By the sixteenth new moon of his birth he will be a man and ready for the trials.

[Jedi_Knight]

Sixteen years have passed since I was born. And all my life I have been training for this great destiny that everyone says awaits me. I’m supposed to be this great hero for my people and so many of their hopes and dreams rest all on me. I know tomorrow I will begin my journey to the other kingdoms to complete my training, but I’m confused. In my heart I don’t really want to be some great hero, I don’t even want all this responsibility that my father keeps saying I must accept. Mother says that she believes in me and knows that I will hear the voice of the great Earth Spirit guiding me when I’m confused or unsure. But, I hear nothing….if I’m her chosen guardian then why doesn’t she speak to me?

At that moment my father comes into my hut to make the final preparations before my journey. Together we sit before a small fire and begin our prayers to our ancestors and the great Earth Spirit. My eyes are focused on the dancing flames of the camp fire when my father hands me two caps of peyote. We clear our minds and ingest the fruit of the great Earth Spirit. After ten minutes of chanting our soul is wrestled free from our bodies and the two of us soar into the air towards the kingdoms of the west, north and east. Before the rulers of each kingdom I am presented to them in dream form and announce the commencement of my journey.

When I awake from my vision, I find my father standing before me with his hand extended.

Wild Horse: “Come my son, your journey begins”

As I am helped to my feet I can’t help but shake the sense of impending rain. As a Yoeme, I am more in tune with the flow of the great Earth Spirits seasons. And for it to rain during this time of year is very unusual even for the southern lands of the east. I figure I am still a bit nervous and decide to put the feeling to the back of mind as I walk out of my hut for the last time. The villagers have all come to see me off and give their blessings as I head towards the road that leads away from our protected forest.

I bow my head to my father and hug him one last time before I start off. My mind is full of questions as to what lays ahead of me. For the past sixteen years all I can remember is nothing but training. Having to learn how to speak to spirits, shape shift into my animal form, command the winds and sense the approaching seasons. Training in the ways of the ‘Wild Hunt’ and in the healing practices of my people, learning of the many sacred medicines and herbs that grow naturally from the Earth Spirit. I have been given a map showing me all four kingdoms that I must travel. The first is the kingdom of Shala-bal daughter of the imprisoned Queen of the North East. Here I will learn the art of shadow dancing. A technique my father says that will help me to infiltrate the castle of Memnoch. From there I must travel farther North to the kingdom of the Dragon Lord Ragnarok. From him I will learn the power of fire. And last to the Western lands of my great-great-grandmother Empress Ashanti. From her I will learn Gia….the way of the earth.

As the light fades and the trail to our nations protected woods disappears into the horizon behind me, I pull from a deerskin pouch my fathers pipe and place a small herb called ‘coughing crow’ into its piece. I use a fire stone to ignite the piece as a long drag of air is pulled from the pipe into my lungs. The sweet smoky taste of the ‘coughing crow’ moves gently like a soft breeze of warm air filling my lungs. The magic in the herbs quickly absorb into my blood stream and begin rushing to work its way through my body’s vast network of veins. I can feel my head becoming lighter and my sight is now glossy and more aware of those things, which pass us daily, unnoticed by normal eyes. But such things do not pass these eyes, these eyes that burn with a red fire behind them, these eyes that see all which passes before me. As I walk, the trail of smoke lingers in the air taking shapes of imagination much like the way clouds appear to an astute observer. It is not very long before I encounter an angry spirit wandering through the everglades of baldur's trail.