The Ranu Chronicles: Twisted Skies Chapter 1

Chapter: 1

In the Beginning

When war is on the horizon and everything seems to be at a loss, there is one race everyone use to turn to. The chosen of Gaia. Warriors of the earth and moon. They are the best this world has to offer when it comes to defenders. They were created as a conjoined effort by Gaia and Luna when they imprisoned three gods from ever seeing the earths light again. These gods were Hades, Loki and Lilith.
They were given the name Ranu meaning Angel Blood, because divine energy runs through there veins and would give them immortality they never age however still can die. Our story starts with a young lycan name Carter Riftwatcher and him first setting foot out of his grounds to begin his destiny.

“Carter, get your ass over here! You know your not suppose to be out after night fall your just a pup.” The old bearded lycan said with a grumpy tone. He stood about six feet tall with bright blue eyes that seemed to pierce your soul and a voice that was harsh yet full of charisma. He would put his battle axe down beside him and wait for the mischievous pup to come to him so he could give him a proper talking to again. The lycan was no normal lycan those even in his human form his ears and tail were out. They had tufts perked upward on the ears that had silky white fur and seemed to glimmer with moon light. He sat down in his chair and tapped his claws on the arm waiting impatiently for the pup to show up. He would sigh and look to his wife, a beautiful women blond hair blue eyes the dreamy model type, long slender legs athletic features almost every mans dream girl. He would simply look away and towards the door.
A pup scampered in with his tail between his legs and his ears folded back and would say.. “I'm sorry father I didn't mean to be out this late you see.” The older man would raise his voice and slam his fist on the arm of the chair making a loud noise to shut the pup up and say “Enough excuses you know your not suppose to be out after dark what do me and your mother have to do in order to keep you inside and safe? Once you complete your training you will be aloud to go on your own but until then you listen to us, do you understand?” The pup sighed and whimpered a little bit and began to walk up to his father then plopped down for a sit and said. “ I'm sorry father.. It won't happen again” the old man grunted and said “You better hope it won't or your in for a major beating boy. Now go to bed before I have a reason to get my belt out.” The pup looked at his father wide eyed and nodded and ran off to bed hiding in the room and curled up to go to sleep.
The father sighed and looked to his wife and said, “What are we going to do Muriel? I'm trying my best to keep him inside however I don't know if we can keep out from wondering out past curfew. You know how dangerous it can get out there.” Muriel looked to her husband with her blue eyes and nodded with sadness and walked up placing her hand on his shoulder and gave him a kiss and said. “Your doing fine my love, Carter is a growing boy. If I remember correctly you were exactly the same when you were his age. You just have to accept the fact that he is not going to be able to be controlled forever. After all he does have the alpha gene in him with both of us as parents.” The father looked toward Carters room with a sad look on his face not wanting to punish the boy however with his destiny hes going to need discipline. He would pick up his battle ax and put it in it's rightful spot with the rest of the weapons and say. “Lets go to bed Muriel we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow after all it's the ceremony to keep the fire wrath's back in there tombs.” The beautiful women nodded and headed off to bed with him to sleep.
During the middle of the night a eerie glow of red was able to be seen in the horizon almost like a fire was happening in the woods. A nightwatchmen picked up the scent of fire wondering where the hell the scouts were. He would walk up to a tall slender lycan with the same white tails and ears and say “My lord there seems to be a fire happening in the woods.. Do you think it could be the wrath's?” The tall man wore a black jacket with jet black jeans and nearly spit out his drink when the guard mentioned Wrath's. He forced the drink down his throat seeing as he was going to need it if this was what the guard thinks it was and said. “How the fuck did they escape there cell if it is the case? Do I even want to know? I'm going to have to warn everyone.” He ran to the bell and started ringing it yelling with a presence that can't seem to be denied. “It's time to get suited up men for if you don't death will great you warmly. Suit up you curs and may the gods be on our side.”
The bells ringing and his son yelling would wake up the old man sleeping with his wife, he would jolt up and tell his wife to get Carter and make sure hes safe. She would scramble to her sons room and say “Carter wake up and get ready were going to be leaving very shortly.” The pup jolted out of bed at his mothers words getting dressed and said. “Why mommy? What's going on?” Muriel looked to her sun and said. “The grounds are getting attacked and we need you safe above any of our own safety. Now hurry get to the safety.”
The pup scrambled down to the basement where the magical wards around him would keep any of the fire wrath's away from him. The symbols glowed a low ember indicating that they were coming to the village. He could hear the adults scrambling for there weapons and suiting up for battle. They knew they were far out matched and couldn't take hundreds of wrath's coming at them from the vault. Carter placed his hand on the dagger his fur shined with the moonlight and his tattoos glowed bright, he was scared which he had every right to be. He could here his father yelling orders at people outside and he waited for there judgment day to start.
The guard went up to the old man and said “Bridgestone what do we do?” Bridgestone looked at the guard with sadness in his eyes seeing as there is not much they really can do and said. “Boy your not that old yet and I apologies for being to weak to keep them in the vault. However your probably not going to live through this day. However, nether am I. Just fight until you can't fight any longer.” He got up on a stand and shifted into his war form, cracking bones could be herd across the entire town as the shear adamant moved around making him stand a two feet taller, his fur white with moonlight and his tattoos glimmering with a dark blue. He let out a howl notifying the others to change as well. The prince looked to his father worried about what is to come holding his swords in his hands unable to clearly shift like the rest. Bridgstone looked to him and said, “Son this may be asking to much of you but I would like you to look after Carter and make sure he completes his training. I will not make it through this fight. None of us will. You need to go down to the warded area with him and make sure hes all right. If any of the wrath's manage to break through the wards you need to fight them off. Do you understand me son?” The young Ranu in the black jacket looked to his father and said. “Have you gone mad in your old age? I'm not going to sit idle while my entire village gets destroyed.. Father that's asking far to much of me” Bridgestone looked to him and placed his paw on his shoulder and said. “Julian your the last remaining hope of my line Carter won't have the ability like you to reproduce Ranu I need you to live. Now go to him please watch over your brother.” Julian nodded and walked down by Carter opening the latch and sat down with him shaking his head slightly wanting to fight but he knew what his father said was all too true.
Bridgestone went to the center of town where a circle of protection was placed and started muttering an incantation that was passed down his family line to protect them from the fire wrath's. He knew it wouldn't due to much good considering they are completely out matched in fire power but it was the only thing he could due. He looked to Muriel and sighed slightly continuing to chant the incantation. The circle lit up with pristine magical energy and started flowing through the entire town slowly connecting through all the towers of the village. Once connected the circle would light up and start to hum with energy. After about twenty minutes of chanting a powerful wave of energy sifted through and pushed up around the village making a force field to ward against the wrath's. Bridgestone fell to one knee using a lot of his energy in that spell and right after Muriel went to go comfort him giving him a bit of her own. He looked to her and said. “I love you Muriel. Never forget that even in the after life. Neither heaven nor hell can keep us apart.” She nodded to him and gave him one last kiss before they fraught for there lives.
The entire town sat battle ready watching the fiery glow get closer, they could smell the burning embers from the forest getting burnt to the ground from the wrath's coming closer to there territory to seek vengeance on the clan that has captured them and kept them from the worlds light for centuries. Bridgestone kept his ax on his shoulder waiting for his time to come him and Muriel sat in silence with the others only exchanging looks of worry for one another. They have been a pack for such a long time and knew this day was bound too come in defiantly but didn't expect it to be the day before the ceremony. After about two hours of sitting in silence they herd a loud crackle as a fiery blaze entered the night sky seeming to scorch the very air that it was trailing across to hit the force field. The force field would shimmer lightly from the impact however still stood strong. Bridgestone got up and said “It's time to get to work you fools lets see how many of them we can kill!” everyone scrambled to there post the guards arming the cannons with magical energy shells, they appeared to be blue and cold to the touch made for this day. The scouts came back in dragging one of the dead behind them. The corpse was burnt and smelt horrible of sulfur and ash. Bridgestone sighed at the first one to have died and waited at the gate.
With another loud crackle a fire ball was thrown at the force field again followed by many more it seemed almost overwhelming. Julian kept Carter close to him seeing he knew Carter was completely scared and had every right to be. What Julian didn't tell his little brother was that he was scared too. Afraid of loosing his family his friends, even his mate. He punched the wall in anger seeing as he should be fighting with his family and sat back down where he was. Carter looked at his brother and said. “Julian, don't be scared. Father said we will be all right.” Julian chuckled a little looking at his brother and shook his head. “Yes Carter. We will be all right..” He had a very animated personality you could see the sadness embracing his soul when he herd the fireballs hitting the force field. You could see it in his eyes and his facial expressions that he was not alright. In fact his heart was pounding from fear of loosing everyone he loved. However he tried to relax himself for his little brother using a soothe emotion spell that his father taught him. A bright light went around Julian for a moment and he felt a little better however his mind was still full of worry.
Muriel took one of the cannons for her self and started firing at the incoming wrath's. The shells started coming out of its container rapidly as she fired sending blasts of magical frozen energy to the wrath's taking out a few with head shots. They kept on bombarding the fore fields with fireballs Bridgestone was doing his best forcing more and more of his energy to keep up the field however soon he was out matched and unable to. Once the last fireball went through the force field aimed for Muriel after she took out about ten of them, hit her cannon and exploded throwing her from the tower. She yelped in pain feeling one of her legs break as she simply cracked it back into place and pulled out her sword, it was a two foot adamant steel blade that glowed a bit of blue. She looked to her mate and to everyone else and said. “ It's our time to die! Let's make them remember us for centuries. Scar them with our thoughts and pain and take as many of these basters with us as we can!” She charged into battle taking two out right away with the sword aiming for the gut and flipping up slicing one through the head. The bodies would freeze crack and explode into tiny bits of shards not really harmful to anyone else.
The Fire wraiths came into the city and started attacking everyone killing a few guards with fireballs Bridgestone picked up his battle Ax from his shoulder and muttered an incantation as it started to go black with energy he rushed out to the middle of the field and swung it around his head hitting the the ground. The impact caused a black wave of energy to move around him cutting through the wraiths like they were sticks of butter killing ten of them right off the bat. They would explode in a fiery carnage that would harm someone if they were close. Bridgestone thought to him self.. Damnit.. Only if I were able to use my void magic to stop them from exploding and killing my own allies. I need to get to Muriel. He made his way through the hordes seeing Muriel fighting slicing through countless wraiths his fur was singed and burned due to the explosions however his regneration was keeping any sufficient damage from happening. His eyes widened as he saw the leader coming through killing a few more of his guards with ease, the one he told to fight his hardest fell with a blade going through the skull and burning to ash his blood only remaining on the ground for the wraith's drank it after battle.
Muriel rushed up to the lead wraith and started engaging him in combat he parried everyone of her slices first to the chest second to the heart and third to the head, he would simple parry her in style every time. He grinned at her with a fiery hatred and said. “Muriel, Muriel, Muriel, don't you get it.. This was all going to happen eventually. I knew one of your pack would screw up and set us free. It was only a matter of time.” He exhaled and thrust his sword at her aiming for her gut as a fiery wave came from the tip to open a wound for the blade to go through. She would jump backwards just in time however her fur getting singed and regenerating almost as fast and she said. “What the hell do you mean? None of my pack would be stupid enough to release your kind back into the world! Your monsters that worship the devil god himself.” The leader chuckled and spread his wings, they had a wingspan of 4 feet and fiery rushing through them like it was his blood. He would grin again and fly up sending fireballs down at her that would explode, she dodged the first three however was unable to dodge the last two and fell to her knees in pain.
Bridgestone saw this and let out a howl of desperation wishing that Luna or Gaia would help them in this time of great need however got no response. He jumped up over all the wraith's and tackled the leader to the ground aiming for gut. The battle ax would be forced out of his grip but an unknown energy forcing it to be thrown backwards targeting Muriel. It hit her in the gut and blood came from her mouth as Bridgestone watched the life go out of her eyes and yelled in pain from loosing his soul bond. He would start swinging his claws at the fire lord aiming for his face but then got shoved back by the same Telekinetic energy right by his dead wife s body. He got the ax out of her gut and looked to him and said. “Do you not have the courage to use your own weapons? I will kill you before I die Telestil.” The fire lord laughed and flew back down drawing his weapon the fire steel glowed with lava flowing within it and he said. “Come at me then you Mutt!” Bridgestone lunged at him aiming his ax for the neck as Telestil dodged backwards then quickly came up to him hitting his side with the hilt of his blade and then grappling Bridgestone. He would groan a little feeling Telestil's claws go into his side drawing blood and start burning the insides. Telestil would put his head up to Bridgestones ear and whisper, “You have lost everything. I will kill your entire family and drink there blood as I will yours.” He through Bridgestone's body down to the ground and watched it burn away to nothing and brush the dust off of his pants and continued walking into town.
Julian looked to Carter and said. “Brother were going to make a run for it in a few hours, if we don't then the wraiths will eventually come in the door by force and kill us both. We just need to wait until there feeding so we can easily escape. You will need to stick close to me and stay completely quiet you got it? We cannot afford to be seen, our lives are to damn important.” Carter nodded to his brother shaking a bit from fear wondering what happened to his mother and father, he would hug his brother crying softly not sure what to do but follow him. Julian would sigh a little gripping his Rapier and draw it putting it to his arm and cutting it so a little blood is drawn. He then put it on his necklace and said. “The amulate's should ward off the wraith's for now.” He put some of his blood on carter's amulate and unlatched the door lightly to look out side. He saw that the wraith's have pretty much killed everyone and have started feeding on the bodies. Julian shook in rage wanting to kill each and everyone one of them. However he knew it would be suicide. He shut the door quietly to make sure that the wraith's didn't over hear him because they were like them with the super sensitive hearing. He looked to Carter and said “Alright in ten minutes we will walk out make sure not to make a sound and close your eyes and just let me guide you little brother.”
Julian let Carter go to his side and start unlatched the door again making sure to open it quietly and steadily Carter would stick close to him holding on to his brothers waist extremely afraid smelling the burnt corpses and ash that laid on the ground from the fire wraiths attack. He had his eyes closed like he said not wanting to see the after math of his village getting destroyed. Julian would mutter an incantation as his body seemed to turn into an ethereal state along with Carters to make them almost unnoticeable. Julian's eyes shifted to the carnage and a tear came down to his cheek as he slipped passed all the wraiths into the woods. Once they got about a mile away from the place he looked to Carter and said. “Are you alright Carter?” Carter nodded and gave his big brother a hug not wanting to speak much he just wanted the day to end. Julian would hug his brother back and pat his back with his hand trying to calm him down, they both just lost there parents and Julian lost his mate as well. He sighed a little bit and said. “Were going to have to go to uncle Anzos house okay? He will let us stay there after he herd what happened to our village.” Carter nodded and looked around seeing a deer jump across the path like nothing went on just a mile south. He wondered what kind of things will await him at his uncles house and where the future would take him.
After awhile of traveling and the day came to an end Julian set up camp setting a small fire no matter how much he really didn't want to see the fire after what happened with his village. He knew he would have to simply put up with it until the next days came about when they were at his uncles castle. He looked to Carter quietly watching him wondering what was going through his little brothers head and said. “Dad was a brave man. He fought to keep us alive. We should make a memorial when we get to Uncle Anzo's.” Carter simply nodded staying quiet as he wrapped his arms around his knees poking at the venison his brother cooked for him with his claw not having much of an appetite. Julian would sigh looking at Carter with his blue eyes like his fathers, they seemed to run in the family. All the males had blue eyes and the females had silver. It was quite strange how it worked but it was well known as our best feature. Julian remembered how his mate fell in love with him due to his piercing blue eyes and how they seemed to look at her soul. He looked to Carter and said, “Now Carter your going to have to eat something. You need your strength unless you want to get sick, I can't be having you sick little brother your all I have left got it?” Carter would nod and cut a piece of venison off and put it in his mouth still not saying a word. Julian would sigh and lay back looking up to the stars wondering what is to come drifting away to sleep slowly.
Julian would be up at the crack of down the next morning packing things up letting Carter getting a little more sleep before he woke him because it was going to be a long journey. They had to walk fifty miles to there uncles castle and should be able to do so in a couple days. Carter stirred restlessly in his sleep as Julian walked up to him and patted his should and said. “Carter come on time to get up we have to get moving, we don't want the wraiths to get on our trail. So let's get the hell out of here.” Carter's eyes opened sleepily and he got up crying a little packing his stuff in his pack before placing the sword his father gave him on his hip. Julian would look to Carter and say, “Whats wrong? Nightmares?” Carter nodded and said, “Yeah.. Lets go to uncles.. I don't want to be here anymore.” Julian nodded and started walking down the familiar path to his uncles house.
About three hours into there journey Julian spotted a river and went to go fill his flask with water. He knew he had to keep hydrated in times like this and told Carter to do the same. “Alright Carter remember always to keep water on you no matter where you are. It's very important.” He chuckled at the words as his ears perked up hearing something rustle in the woods next to him, Julian put Carter behind himself as he heard the whistling of an arrow going through the air. Julian ducked bringing Carter to the ground as the arrow hit the tree that was directly behind him where his forehead use to be. The arrow wasn't a lethal one it had a blunt head however Julian got up and yelled “Who are you? Show yourself you coward!.” After a short while a black furred Ranu stepped out of the mists she was beautiful looking to be the age of sixteen a bow in her hands and swords strapped on her side she said. “Which god do you serve?” Julian tilted his head a little bit and said, “I come from pack Ishindal we serve Osiris.” The women nodded and put her bow back to her back and said. “My apologies we have had rumors about one of Hades servant's coming around here.” Julian said with confusion not knowing that Hades had any affiliation with the Ranu and said. “Hades?” The female Ranu nodded and said, “Yes he has gotten a few of us to go to him. I needed to be sure otherwise, I could have been killed.” Julian nodded in respect seeing as he knew that feeling all to well, his tail wagged lightly because he has yet to have seen such a beautiful women in his life even at the village nothing compared to her beauty. He would speak nervously and say. “May I ask such a fine woman's name? My name Is Julian Son of Bridgestone and this is my brother Carter.” She nodded and smiled at the young lad and said. “My name is Ashe, I serve Posiden. It's a pleasure to meet you.” Julian would nod and say the pleasure is mine milady. Will you not join us on the path to my uncles? I'm sure you will be most welcome in the castle.” Ashe giggled lightly and said, it would be an honor to meet your uncle.”
The three walked on the path the first day not getting noticed by much, they would exchange past memories and laughed at some. Julian would even shed a little tears speaking of his father after there recent death. Ashe would put her shoulder on his and say. “I'm sorry for your loss. I herd Bridgestone was one of the Ranu elders.. He must have gotten taken out by something extremely powerful.” Julian nodded and said. “Telestil, hes a devil. The fire lord. Hes about as strong as one of heavens Arch Angels.” Ashe sighed a little bit seeing as there's not much they could do to something that powerful yet. She would pull out a little stone and smile seeing as it wasn't glowing and put it back in her pocket. “Well I can assure you no demons are by us right now.” Julian chuckled a little bit and said. “It shouldn't be much longer until were at my uncles, we will camp on the mountainside tonight and should reach his place by mid afternoon.” Carter laughed a little for the first time since the death of there father. It's only been a couple days but it's still good to hear him laugh. Julian would chuckle with Carter and say, “Whats so funny little bro?” Carter would say, oh nothing, just had a funny memory of uncle being silly like usual.” Julian would not and pat the pup on the head and say. “Yeah Arzo can get a bit goofy at times can't he?” Carter nodded and continued walking down the path.
Once they reached the mountains Ashe would say, “I'm going to scout ahead and make sure this is a safe place to camp for the night.” Julian nodded as Ashe went ahead to scout for anything. After awhile she came back and said, “Coast is clear lets get some sleep guys.” Julian smiled and started putting up camp getting the fire started and hummed a song that his mother use too when he was a pup. Carter would start tearing up a bit at it and get curl up in his sleeping bag trying not to remember his mother and father. Julian would look to Ashe and hand her a flask and say, “Try some of this it's some good old ale from my village you will like it.” She took a sip and almost instantly felt tipsy and said. “Damn this is some strong stuff.. What is in it?” He chuckled and said, now hang on there sweet cheeks that is a secret.” Ashe crossed her arms with a hmph and decided to lay down watching the fire. “I'm going to bed Julian i'll see you in the morning.” Julian sighed a little bit and said “Very well no cuddles for me I guess.” He laughed and stood up a little while decided to go to sleep soon there after.