The Arin Chronicles

I actually wrote this over 2 years ago, and even got it edited by Madame VonCogg. Never got around to putting it up. Now that I have some free time again, I've resumed writing. I have actually written the first chapter, but it's been so long that I want go over it before putting it up. Lastly, this is not porn, it's erotica.

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It's easy to get lost at sea. There are no paths, no familiar sights. To make your way at sea, you look to the skies. That was the first thing Rondin Tairn learnt when he first traveled on a ship. Thirteen years later he was master of his own ship, with a crew of forty men and women. He had earned himself a great reputation as a navigator and was now one of the most trusted sea traders.

Hundreds of successful voyages had vastly improved Tairn's knowledge of the stars. He knew where to look for which constellation and when. This night however something was very wrong.

"Daryn, are you sure we haven't gone off course?"

Tairn had absolute trust in Daryn's abilities and Daryn knew that. The question, however was something Daryn himself was pondering.

"No sir. I'm pretty sure we're still on course. It's the stars that seem to have changed."

The shipmaster frowned at the sky for sometime and glanced west. The sight he saw terrified him. Daryn strained his eyes to see what had made his master go so white in the face.

Soon everyone on the ship was staring at the bright torch that was clearly visible for miles. At the very top of the supposedly unscalable cliff. Of course this would ordinarily be a feat worth praise, but the Ring of Shia was no ordinary cliff. The Ring surrounded Nar, the land of the Ancient Evils. No living thing ever went in there or, more importantly, ever came out.

"Ok.. Who died?"

Tairn turned to look at the old man who had just come up to the deck. Calling this person just an old man however wasn't doing him justice. He was a Mosha'an, a master sorcerer. No one really knew why he was on the ship. He definitely had quicker ways to get to wherever he was going.

"Master Kerak," Tairn said pointing at the flame. "We were hoping you could tell us what that means."

The flame looked like it was going down over to the other side of the Ring.

Tairn was watching the Mosha'an's reactions closely. They were as unreadable as ever. Mosha'ani had a rule about not displaying any emotion. They were generally a pleasant folk but, someone who never displayed anger, remorse, sadness or anything else is someone to be wary of.

"Master Ke..."

"Master Tairn," the old man said. "Prepare your defenses. We will be under attack very soon."

Everyone turned to look at the old man now. "Attacked by whom, sir?" one of the younger crewmen asked.

"Monsters, boy. The ones from the scariest stories you've heard." Kerak replied.

Tairn knew the Mosha'an would not joke. "You know what to do people. Man the cannons. Ready your weapons."

Within moments every last man and women was at arms. Not knowing what to look for, everyone looked to the Mosha'an for orders, even Tairn.

And then they heard it. The horrible screech of a beast that sent shivers up everyone's spine.

"Look. Up there."

"In the sky. What is that?"

"That is the ugliest looking bird I have ever seen."

"That's no bird! It's a dragon you fools," Kerak bellowed. "Tairn, order your cannons to shoot the beast before it gets any closer."

"Shit..." Tairn cursed before yelling at his crew to fire the cannons.

The creature managed to evade every shot fired at it and was gaining on them quickly.

"Avoid it's spittle whatever happens. It'll turn anything it touches to dust", Kerak said.

"Why doesn't it stop screeching?" one of the women asked.

"It's calling the rest of it's pack towards us. Watch out for more of them", Kerak said looking around.

"Master Kerak," Tairn said, giving up on the cannons. "Can't you do something? It's too fast for our cannons."

"I'm sorry, but my skill with water is not the greatest and from this distance I can't do much," Kerak replied. "Let it get closer. Tell your crew to get inside."

Just then one of the cannons managed to get a direct shot at the monster. But just as the cannonball neared the beast, it let out a jet of spittle that melted the metal ball.

"It breathes fire!" someone screamed.

"Everyone get inside," Kerak urged.

Kerak rolled up his sleeves, and stretched out his arms to either side. He willed the sea to obey him. First his mind flowed like the water, then the water flowed the way his mind did. With a grunt he willed all the water he could, to move towards the beast. The creature did not have time to swerve.

The sea seemed to come alive. It was like a third arm for Kerak. He pulled the beast down into the sea. The spittle of the beast turned the water to steam, but the there also seemed to be a dark substance coming out of it's mouth. The screams of the beast were getting shriller. Once it went under water the steam rising from the surface seemed to create a fog. The whole area around it turned dark with the creature's blood. At least that's what I think it is, thought Kerak. He could still feel the creature thrashing against it's invisible chains, in his mind, but it seemed weaker now.

After a few more moments of struggling, the beast went still. Kerak let go of his hold on the sea and fell to his knees. He was exhausted. Water manipulation was not one of his strongest abilities. He could probably have handled ten times as many dragons on land. "Still, not bad for an old man," he said to himself, smiling.

Tairn was the first to come out when he heard the water stop steaming. He quickly ran to help Kerak up to his feet.

"What does this mean, Master Kerak?" Tairn asked.

Kerak sighed as he stared at the Ring.

"The end of the world as we know it, Master Tairn."