The Root of Tomorrow

Chapter 1: Tamas

Warning: Foul language and suggestive themes are in this chapter.

     "You little prick!"

     The oldest of three brothers, Edward was competitive by nature. Whether it be rugby or centaur hunting, he would always win, or at least attempt to win, by any means necessary. His brothers Tamas and Ayman were active, but did not enjoy sports as much as he did. Ayman loved art, and often stood on the North Summit and paint pictures of the beautiful Cresian Empire. Tamas was interested in fighting, he often spent hours watching soldiers train for battle at Armathia, the fort that sat on the edge of the Emersian River. Father said he could join the army when he was 16, yet he was denied by General Otis for being too thin. Two days later, King Edward ordered Otis' execution at the guillotine. Tamas then joined the army and soon became a sergeant.

     Today Edward was in one of his moods. Tamas had challenged Edward to a shaggy hippopotamus hunt. Without hesitation, Edward accepted.  The shaggy hippopotamuses lived in the bluffs of Dalton, a large city near the Cresian-Kodorian border. Tamas, Ayman, and Edward were banned from the region due to an ongoing embargo on Kodoria, but they visited Dalton quite often. They often ate exotic fruits and breads in the town's market, or they climbed to the top of the Church of our Holy Mother and ran across the rooftops of the sprawling city. To the south was a large cliff overlooking the Tinted River. The brothers often jumped into the deep river and tried to swim across without being swept away by the heavy current. The western side of the city was a large forest full of shaggy hippopotamuses, deer, beavers, and rabbits, which boosted the city's economy into a fur trade center for the region. To the city's east was a large marsh full of crocodiles. The marsh led into a large lake dubbed the Dalton Sea which was full of carp and trout. A small river flowed from the northern shore  of the "sea" into the Cottenhorn River, a large river that circled the Kodorian city of Cottenhorn. With so many things to do, its no wonder the brothers loved Dalton.

     The day had been a bad day for Edward. Tamas had killed 7 hippopotamuses, Edward had only killed one. Ayman did not enjoy killing animals, so his job was to skin the hippos for their hide, which the brothers would trade for food in the city.

     "Your're cheating. Your're not even using a real weapon!" Edward often complained about Tamas' choice to use a crossbow instead of knives like He did. When Edward got upset, his skin changed from olive to a warm, glowing pink. Normally, Edward had warm olive skin offset by his jet black hair. He had a pointed chin and strong cheekbones, and his eyes were an unusual shade of brown. He was quite tall for someone who was only 18, he was around 6 feet 2 inches tall. He was well built and sculpted, and his calves were harder than granite. He had narrow feet and long, bony fingers. He had a large scar on his lower right abdomen, the result of him hunting a wild lion. Edward had shot the lion's eye with an arrow, provoking the lion to scratch his abdomen and bite off his left ear. The girls in Dalton saw the scar as a sign of courage, and Edward often spent quality time with the girls.

Tamas aimed his crossbow at a hippopotamus, and the arrow sailed straight into its heart. Ayman ran towards it and started to skin it when a loud crack broke the quite tranquility of the forest. Ayman turned to his brothers, and Tamas was horrified at what he saw. Ayman's left temple was profusely pouring crimson fluid, and it ran down his neck and onto his cloth tunic. He fell on his knees and breathed his last breath before telling his brothers one thing.

"Run."

Immediately Ayman fell dead, and Tamas wanted to cry, but feared doing it in front of Edward. Edward grabbed his brother's hand and they fled towards the city before Tamas got the wind knocked out of him. He crumpled to the ground, and as he pulled his tunic he saw an arrow logged in his toned abdominal area. Scarlet blood dropped onto his waist, and Tamas' lungs began to feel sore. He wheezed and cough and fell flat on his face. He looked up to see a talk dark figure approach him with a sack made of hide. Tamas cried, fearing for his life. He tried crawling away, but he soon felt a cold, blunt object smack against his forehead.

And then everything went black.