Ael Ked

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

NAME: Ael Ked (Only responds to ‘Knight/Master Ked,' ‘Corporal Ked,' or 'King Ked')
FACTION: New Jedi Order/Galactic Alliance
RANK: Knight/Corporal
SPECIES: Epicanthix
AGE: 48
GENDER: Male
HEIGHT: 2.1 m (82.7 in.)
WEIGHT: 140.0 kg (308.7 lbs.)
EYES: Grayed Green
HAIR: Stark Black with gray strands
SKIN: Brown-yellow
DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Distinct Epicanthic folds. Scar across right breast. Hairless body. Toned and even musculature. Tattoo on left shoulder of childhood tribe. Dark red left knee. Pure black goatee with gray strands. Wide nose. Heavy German/Russian accent.

STRENGTH
High. Since childhood, he’s been trained to be a warrior and soldier. Because of his culture and biology, his high levels of testosterone has helped him exceed in physical aspects of skill and ability. It usually takes him longer to figure out semi-complex problems than it would others.
DEXTERITY
Average. Because of his large body, his flexibility is that much lower. Still, his natural speed is great and he is able to jump higher than most. He’s not keen on thinking outside what he knows and understands. New philosophies and ideas usually wash over him without affecting his mind.
CONSTITUTION
High. He has a superb immune system. Any fractured bones or bruised muscles become healed much faster than most others. His race disallows persuasion by words and ideals. Insulting him or threatening him does nothing to sway him.
INTELLIGENCE
Low. Though he has a great war-mind, his academic and cultural intellect is quite low. He has a great sense of time, length and even weight. Also, his knoweldge of the Eightfold Path and Jedi Codes is high. He knows about the physical body and of combat (either hand-to-hand, one-on-one, or otherwise).
WISDOM
Below Average. His insight is short. He rarely thinks inward or meditates on personal matters. Going to him with a personal issue would result in a quick and tasteless response. He doesn’t understand emotion but, rather, action. Some would say he’s Echani in that respect.
CHARISMA
Low/High. Cold and calculating, people do not go to him for personal advice or to learn intimate subjects. He is a great leader, but not one to love. He makes for a great General and rallier-of-forces, but not a friend or lover. He is very much the strong father-figure, if not authoritarian.

FORCE POWERS

Key Force Powers:​

- Revitalize (An inherent ability that helped him through his extensive childhood training. He can meditate for three weeks without food and one week without water. He can fight with high energy for a few hours. When he trains regularly for days straight, he's using this ability.)
- Body (He can take on three large males in a fair wrestling match without this. But using Body allows him crash his fist through tree trunks and lift the entire thing to throw it several feet.)
- Heal Self(He can regenerate regenerative tissue (e.g. skin) quickly and clean dirtied wounds just as fast. The scars on his body are from when he hadn’t developed the skill to its current degree.)
- Force Absorb (Though his well of Force energy is deep, he can use it quickly. He took years to develop this skill. Now, being in the thick of battle can keep his Force energies at a consistent level.)
- Pyrokinesis (This was the first Force power he discovered and thus the most developed. By fourteen years old, he could burn down an entire village. He has increased its intensity and heat since then.)

Other Force Powers:​

- Sense/Tracking (His tribe specialized in hunting and tracking deserters and enemies. This extenuates his natural abilities to track prey.)
- Jump (This is merely used to catch runaways and prey or to gain the upper hand in a duel.)
- Speed (Same as the above. Other applications include: the completion of several tasks in a timely manner.)
- Moving Meditation (Alchaka) (This was first instilled when his tribe would war against others. He easily applied it to the Force when he entered the Order.)
- Tapas (The winters required bundling up, but this would restrict his movements when other tribes invaded their territory. Eventually, the Force allowed him to keep warm with minimal clothing.)

LIGHTSABER FORMS
- Vaapad (Jar’Kai) (His personality inclines him to learn this Form before others. Even with his high testosterone levels, short temper, and thirst for victory, his reasons for fighting are usually "just." Since the only other education he acquired was that of the Jedi Philosophies, he knows how to keep a level mind while expressing his aggressiveness in efficient and progressive ways.)
- Soresu (He dislikes this form almost completely and was initially inclined to learn Djem So. However, his Master required his understanding of this Form as it was the complete opposite from what he was used to. Though he would never teach the Form, he doesn’t deny that it has saved his life several times when he was pushed to his physical limits by others more skilled than himself.)
- Vaiko (His culture stresses the quick learning of others' movements and behaviors during battle. Because of this, he has developed a high aptitude for Vaiko, though he doesn’t know of the Form or that he’s even skilled in it.)

SKILLS
- His species natural affinity to protect the mind from invasion allows him to keep safe from illusions, mental manipulation, and invasive techniques without much intervention on his own.
- Managing people in stressful situations.

STRENGTHS
- Deep well of Force-energy
- Never underestimates and opponent
- Military Tactician
- Proactive, focused, and diligent

WEAKNESSES
- Uses the Force with little discipline
- Unable to uphold a duel across long distances
- Uneducated in academics and cultures
- Aggressive/arrogant and stubborn/short-tempered

GEAR
- Red combat suit (The top can easily be discarded for freer movement. This is often done due to his high body temperature. Because of this, it is silk-like and breathable but skin-tight with a zipper down the middle for easy access. Knee-high boots are made of a Cortosis-weave that he’s used to block other Lightsaber wielders before. His trousers are loose but thin enough to tuck into his boots without much irritation and have a low crotch, along with his lack of underwear (only enough to keep his manhood ‘out of the way’) allows for greater movement.)
-- Leather belt (It was made by his father from his first kill. It is unusually resilient. Its use other than keeping his Lightsabers around his waist is purely aesthetic.)
--- Hak (This Lightsaber on his right side has within it a Sigil crystal, increasing the potency of the purple blade.)
--- Blok (This Lightsaber is on his left hip and has within it a Phond crystal, making the orange blade lick with flames.)
--- Oew (This Lightsaber is strapped to his back and is imbued with Baas' Wisdom, a crystal which causes a minor instance of frostbite when touched (either the blade or the shaft at any time). This is a phrik saber staff with a meter long white blade and a two meter long shaft.)


SHIP
- Shib or 'The Falcon' in Basic (This easily modified YZ-900 freighter is mostly for simple transport from Temple to War ship or vice-versa. However, it has been upgraded with a second Shield Generator and a much larger, but more powerful and efficient engine. Both take up an entire cargo hold together, however. The co-pilot position has been replaced with upgraded computer, scanning, and navigation systems which allow for single pilot use. The ten autoblasters as well as the Proton torpedo launcher can be easily controlled here. The second cargo hold has been replaced to hold four more torpedoes, for a total of 20. There is room for two more crew members to man the Twin Heavy Cannon Laser turrets (THCLs). One of these turrets was removed for the additional two autoblasters. Only three more passengers can board this ship after the full crew of only 3 men.)

PERSONALITY
Calculating and cold, Master Ked is stern and has an air of authority and seriousness about him. His ideals are quite concrete, but that is because he has rarely been proven wrong by past scenarios. His natural education of guerrilla warfare and his further study of planetary war strategies give him the ability to adapt to almost any situation on the field and make quick and decisive calls. Many of them are controversial since they sometimes require the sacrifice of some of his men. But he’s won many battles against rogue nations. He’s often called onto the field for advice and intervention, making his workload much larger. Regardless, he takes his responsibilities seriously and completes all tasks assigned to him in a timely manner, which is usually before others expect them to be completed. Along with this, he knows everyone's name. And when he doesn't, he learns them quickly. This is a sign of respect to him.

Any personal matters brought to his attention are ignored or waved off. When personal matters concern himself, he confronts the individual sternly and unyielding in order to solve differences. Unfortunately, his stubbornness doesn't allow for much compromise and results in a strain between the two. Consequently, these are strong and profuse. As much as he is revered and respected, many dislike and disagree with his methods. He blames them for the inability to sacrifice the few for the many, as his Jedi Codes require him to do. They are too weak to make the hard calls and, thus, are not as capable as him. He views the Force as "ancestral influence" or "gifts." He speaks in short and concise sentences and often gets frustrated when listening to those more winded than himself.

His ability to feel compassion or empathy is almost void but is compensated by his sympathy (however little) and practice of respecting others. There's also a distinct irony or hypocrisy about him. He believes others should be able to help themselves while he tend to do as much as he can for others. It usually applies to those who deem themselves skilled enough to protect others that he will point out their shortcomings should they have any. At the same time, he will protect them with his life, as any Jedi would.

Reproduction is a necessary stage in life, and he has fathered several children, and the mother has been married, but he rarely shows any kind of affection towards his children, never mind his wife. But his culture doesn't allow for close attachments, which he has done well within the Order of abstaining from hindering relationships. He believes: to become physically powerful, such as himself, they much be mentally resilient. This means the individual must not be able to feel anything at the death of another for a moment of hesitation will be the cause your own death. Emotional detachment is the foundation of a capable warrior.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

Spoiler: BIOGRAPHY

Spoiler: Prologue

The heavy and varied terrain of Panatha protects people from each other. Seclusion is easy to find on this planet. Generations passed and this seclusion became the norm. Centuries passed and invading this seclusion was offensive, a taboo. Tribes were small, but inbreeding was never a problem. Arranged weddings allowed for opposing tribes to come together and possibly settle their differences. This rarely occurred, however. A week of peace was welcome, regardless. It location in the Outer Rim meant it wasn’t much colonized, if only because of its limited resources.

It could be argued that their beliefs are land-ownership bound, but privacy and seclusion are held before what land they inhabit. Many tribes of the Epicanthix are relatively nomadic, though there are still who create more permanent structures into the ground and practice agriculture. They are able to keep a larger population satisfied but are more apt to attack passing-by tribes. Because of this, they are more apt to be attacked, requiring more resources to keep these armies up. Objectively, these villages are just as efficient as the nomadic tribes since the tribes move more often, attacking and defending themselves much less.

Both the tribes and villages are led by known oligarchies. They are relatively incorrupt, but there are always those exceptions. These ‘Councils’ are made up of the elders who’ve shone that, through their extensive life-experience; they are capable of successfully leading their tribe or village to any victory. Any loss is counted by the total termination of the village or tribe. This ‘termination’ can be the enslavement or melding of or with another tribe or village. It can also simply be that it was killed off entirely. It is currently seen as honorable to have the entire community to be killed. The slavery, though not oppressive, is a stigma that each oligarchy discourages.

Generations passed as did millennia and the amount of conflict only grew as the sense of individualism grew. Sizes of tribes and villages never rose and actually decreased, though this is statistically insignificant. Those who remained nomadic traveled farther distances, gaining space between them and others. Even with more movement or stronger defenses, the villages and tribes knew each other well enough to know what type of terrain they usually settled in and during which seasons. Tribes include, but are not limited to, Mountain, Snow, Forest, and Swamp. Villages include, but are not limited to, Plains, Deserts, Lakes, and Rivers, though the latter is slightly nomadic.

The Mountain Tribes, or those with ‘Grii’ in their names, are strong and agile but not quite resilient or wise. They often become physically ill and are known for their shorter lifespans (around 120 years). However, they are difficult to attack and easy to defend (due to their locations), making their ‘shorter’ lives more peaceful. Hunting is the most difficult of the Grii Tribes, but their prey is varied. Many herbs grow on the sides of these mountains as well. These tribes remain closer to the equator and never ascend high enough to where frost forms. Ironically, the tribes which remain higher upon the mountains are seen as more fortunate since they can handle the thinner air. They favor utilities and tools more than other goods and are often sought after for their inventions. The Grii Tribes share a crest with the image of a club within it and the color brown.

The Snow Tribes, or those with ‘Oew’ in their names, are arguably as strong or stronger than the Grii but show a greater resilience to their environment. Interestingly, they have the widest range of lifespans, from 115 to 145, and are also the highest and lowest of all the tribes and villages. The Oew are some of the most aggressive and possessive of settlements. They dwell atop mountains as well as the poles of the planet. Those closest to the poles are seen as stronger as and better than those further or atop the mountains. There is also a semi-strict caste system of various levels, though none are truly above others. The Oew specialize in weapons and wield a wide variety. They share crests with weapons, specifically a spear with spikes along the shaft and the color white.

The Forest Tribes, or those with ‘Fiv’ in their names, are known for their ability to travel quickly through the treetops as well as their intimate knowledge of the forests. They are quite difficult to locate, allowing them to live through the typical lifespan of an Epicanthix. Their tree houses are expertly camouflaged, but the travel between the Grii and Udz (since they keep in the forests between them) makes this necessary. They have been attacked many times and have become paranoid of becoming attacked. They use stealth to overcome their foes and are known for their skill movement and silence. Other see them as unnecessarily aggressive while they believe everyone else to be. Communication is not a strong suit among the settlements. The Fiv Tribes share logos with bows and arrows and the color green.

The Swamp Tribes, or those with ‘Saq’ in their names, are quite cunning and unusually manipulative though are the least adapted to their environment. They’ve kept as many promises as they’ve broken, which makes them notorious for their seeming inability to cooperate fairly with outsiders. Some might know of the necessary measures taken by the Saq, however. They are known for making traps within the bogs and bayous they live within. Keeping close to the equator, they inhabit the most humid of environments. Above most anything, they specialize in gaining intelligence and secrets of opposing tribes and villages. Insignias of the Saq all show ropes or chains in their patterns and the color black.

The Plains Villages, or those with ‘Udz’ in their names, are usually quite intellectual and wise. Unlike other tribes, however, they don’t place such high reliance on physical strength and skill in movement and formations. They focus on defense, something the Epicanthix are also not known for. Ironically, the Plains tribes are some of the biggest, but agriculture and ease of building structures allows for greater populations. They live within the tropics of the planet and construct villas out of grass and mud for the elders of the Council while the rest of the population live in ornate tents. Along with their impressive defense, the Udz are known for their craft in shield and armor craft. These people live for quite a long time, usually 140 years. They share a tribal sign of shield and the color beige.

The Desert Villages, or those with ‘Krik’ in their names, are a formidable force to go against for the physical power of their men is only matched by their intimate knowledge of lore and military tactics. Since they live in the desert, they become ill more often than those of other tribes. They are also not known for their dexterity or skills in stealth. The Krik use offensive tactics, but only to drive back those who threaten their solitude. They don’t wish to fight and will tell the intruders to leave before attacking them ruthlessly and completely. The Krik have the most victories in war and, thus, the highest population of slaves. They live in underground tunnels and caves to keep from the sun. Since the presence of slaves is so high, the family is held sacred even above combat and lore. Their signatures share three circles in a line or sometimes interlocking and include the color red.

The Lake Villages, or those with ‘Mil’ in their names, are sternly attached to the native lore of Panatha. Many seers and mystics live along lakes to provide others with their knowledge through visions and whispers from the Whisps. They are quite peaceful and friendly, favoring diplomatic solutions to conflicts with other villages and tribes. The Mil are concerned with their mental and physical health, however, and are so superstitious that it clouds their abilities to think critically They build cabins from the woods they live near, which often causes trouble with the Fiv. Fortunately, the Mil choose their words carefully and don’t take more than they are allowed by the nearby Fiv. The Mil focus on their mysticism over combat and seclusion and will house deserters if their auras are not negative. Interestingly, their superstitions seem to have some sort of viability since they live as long or longer than the Udz. Their flags depict images of smoke and the color purple.

The River Villages, or those with ‘Tox’ in their names, are quite adaptive to their surroundings since rivers often flood and they are usually targets for attack to usurp key river ways for transportation. As adaptable as they are, they can be quite hospitable as the Mil are known to be but can be just as aggressive as the Oew. If forced to fight, they adapt tactics from the Fiv and Saq but never initiate an attack. Still, their hidden methods are quite effective and difficult to displace when displacement of their village is a determined mean to an end. The Tox live in boats or structures that shelter them from weather but can float down the rivers they inhabit, allowing them to escape should they need to. Along with this, they are the only tribe to flee from conflict rather than admit complete defeat which places them below all other villages and tribes. However, they prize individual and collective life above combat and pride. The Tox live average life spans because of their fleeing. Their logo includes a star or a collection of them as well as the color blue.

Physical maturity is met quite early among the Epicanthix, though varies from individual to individual. Records report full sexual and physical maturity to be around the age of 20 for both sexes. Sexual maturity begins as early as 8 years old and as late 15. Arranged marriages occur between tribes or villages but more often within their own. The children are usually around 16 to 18 years old and are expected to have a child 6 months later (their pregnancies are surprisingly shorter in spite of their lengthened lifespan). These marriages are usually festive and ornate and take months to plan and a week to celebrate. The ceremonies differ from village to tribe but take hours to complete.

Gender is quite an important thing among the Epicanthix. Women are revered and respected and held above men. They are expected to learn the deep lore of their ancestors and learn how to efficiently perform the tasks they are born into. They learn lore and healing before the intricacies of their family’s profession. They are also expected to begin to bear children early and constantly. The men are expected to protect, not only their village or tribe, but the women within them. When attacked, the women are targeted before the men in hopes to kill off their lore and ancestry. Interestingly, neither gender is better to bear than the other. The women within the Council are heeded more immediately than the men. It’s an odd form of matriarchy.

Names are quite important. The firstborn male is to have the first name of the mother’s last name in a hope to inherit her knowledge and wisdom. His last name is that of his father to inherit his strength and cunning. The firstborn female is to have the same, but reversed (her first name is the father's last name and her last name is the mother's last name). The second son has the same first name of the father save the middle letters and inherits the father's last name. The same is for the second daughter but the names come from the mother. All other sons have a first name that starts with the first letter of the father's first name and inherit his last name while the daughters follow similarly their mother. During marriage, neither the husband or wife adapts the other’s name for each are equally important.

Spoiler: Volume I

Prelude​

Ose Ked, the father of Ael, was a chief of the WexOew Tribe. He was in charge of training soldiers and executing attacks upon other tribes. Another chief was in charge of defending against attacks. There was a Head Chief, who was also part of the Council, which oversaw their tactics and gave advice when necessary. Ose was the oldest of eight children, five of which had died. His father, Asi Ked, was the Head Chief. His mother, Shu Ose, was also part of the Council. Many within the tribe believed this inefficient and unprofessional, but Ose was a capable warrior and knew how to rally troops to victory. He was one of the few to specialize in hand-to-hand combat and was one of the larger men among the tribe, often within the front lines during battle.

Vii Ael, the father of Ael, was a notable medicine woman and shaman but was the fifth child of nine. Both her mother, Vel Ael, and her father, For Oks, specialized in healing and herbal remedies, no matter how rare it was to find herbs within the arctic north. For was often shamed for being such a passive man, but he healed his ailing wife many times, proving that combat wasn’t the only method in keeping the women of the tribe safe. Still, for a tribe of the Oew, this was something largely unacceptable. It was obvious the Oew and the Mil would never become allies. Ironically, many women went to him to improve their skills and he healed many men after battle. Vii adapted his talent in the realm of health and proved to be quite resilient to sickness. Vii’s mother was talented in mending wounds so the men could still fight largely unhindered.

Ose and Vii were wed at 17 and 15, respectfully. They had their first son, Ael Ked, six months later, as was expected. His father was out hunting the White Rabbit Fox of the area when they were ambushed by the Grii for their kill during Ael’s birth. Because of this, For prophesized that this partnership would bring power and prosperity in their offspring, but it would come through struggle and death. Ael would be an accomplished and powerful warrior. These Mil visions were easily dismissed but would become true in the years to come. These first two years, the parents focused on the future of their son. These years were quiet within the Wex, which was largely unusual due to their regularly aggressive actions against rival Oew Tribes. Along with all the other tribes, they believed themselves superior even when their numbers were significantly lower.

Spoiler: Part 1

After Ael was born, it was difficult for them to make another child. Instead, they focused on the physical capabilities of their infant and, soon, toddler. He learned to walk after five months since his parents persisted in his development of the skill. Soon after, they would stretch his muscles to keep him limber and to gain faster coarse muscle control. Needless to say, he was trained from a delicate age to be tough and silent. Injuries were encouraged to be sloughed off and not cried over. If he was shedding a tear, his mother refused to treat him. His father turned the other cheek but was, otherwise, not around often for the hunting season was upon them. Unfortunately, these raids of the Grii within their lands became more consistent and Ose was less present and harsher toward his son.

Ael seemed to be unaffected and his mother instilled in him strength of mind and body to make his father proud. Speech came late in his development, but that was only speaking it, not understanding it. Some thought him dumb, but they were soon proved wrong in his later years. With the birth of his sister, Vei, his training really took off. Only two years old and the hunting season far gone, Ose took much time to train his son day and night to become the warrior he’d need to be to survive in this cruel world. For believed the attacks of the northern Grii was the sign of a future war that would cripple their tribe, but such pessimistic thinking couldn’t be accepted. Ael had a knack for learning combat, but he was just like any child, willing to learn what was thrown before him. Such a promising son couldn’t allow the tribe to fall to the Mountain Barbarians.

Spoiler: Part 2

Six months later, Odz was born. Vii was placed in bed rest for the remainder of the year to recuperate from such a short time between pregnancies. Though it was six months, the length of the average Epicanthix pregnancy, Odz was born premature since Vii had become pregnant the month after Vei’s birth. Odz was cursed with weakness and frailty, but that was the just the superstition of premature births. Some would prophesize that he was strong and independent to escape the comfort of the womb as soon as he did. Ael was not accustomed to the amount of crying from his younger siblings, and nor were his parents. They told him that he’d need to become strong enough to protect them for he was the only one who showed true resilience. The boy was only two and a half years old.

Ael’s training only consisted of lifting and moving heavy objects by his third year of life. And now that Oin was born, Ael’s determination to become strong and to protect his family grew. But now he had to learn the lesson of detachment, though he wouldn’t truly understand this concept until years later, however. Odz’ development wasn’t impressive but Vei began to pick up healing and curing techniques from her mother. With Ael’s intense practice and Vei curiosity, they both fed each other and developed quickly in their predetermined professions. An odd connection also developed between them. Well, the fact that a connection developed at all was unheard of and was discouraged by the community.

Spoiler: Part 3

At four years old by this point, Ael began to see a kind of emotional detachment between his mother and father. At first he resented the way in which he separated him from his sister. His mother took the time to explain to the young boy about the dangers of emotional attachment and its effects on the battlefield. “Don’t be like your father, Ael. You’re too young to notice, but his limp is growing more noticeable and his strength is lessening. He tried to protect me during a battle that cost him his use within this tribe. This is why we give the first name to our sons. Not only did your father disgrace this family, he’s disgraced his parents and grandparents who now sit on the council. Their positions were threatened by his rash decisions. Fortunately for you and I, your father’s insight and knowledge has become invaluable.”

For her to speak about his own father, her wife, was not quite astonishing. He saw the validity in her words, if only due to her seniority. He needed to become strong to carry the burdens, the faults of his father and to protect, not only his family, but the entire village. Yes, the family was important but not more so than the community for you wouldn’t have family without the community. Training in hand-to-hand was his primary focus soon after Vaq's birth. Other first sons were already implementing weapons, but Ose told his son “there is nothing more valuable than skillful and strong hands. Strength of a weapon only comes from the self, and when the self is strong and capable, so is the weapon.” Ael was kept away from the other children since Ael would defeat them quickly and mercilessly in friendly spars. Sometimes he would pick up a similar weapon to his opponent, but he’d usually overwhelm them with skill in open-hand combat.

There was no such thing as “tucking in” your child or “kissing them goodbye.” To instill detachment and emotional stability, love was something viewed as tough respect and expectation to excel. Others outside the immediate family would assume incompetence until proven otherwise whereas the immediate family would expect a high level of performance outright. The latter was known as ‘love,’ if their culture ever had a word for it. At such a tender age, one might believe a child’s psychology would be impaired or damaged. Ironically, Epicanthix are known for their long lifespans. Their primitive lifestyles shorten this exponentially but those apt enough to survive wars with opposing tribes make one strong and enduring.

Spoiler: Part 4

Within the next year, Ael began to hunt with the older men of the tribe, though only sparingly since they would take turns introducing their first sons into the tribe’s methods of hunting since it was safer and easier to teach a single boy at a time. Perhaps this was laziness, but their tribe was already thin enough to be risking the most prominent future of their civilization. The first trips he made, Ael merely observed. Only on his fifth trip out and many months of learning the basics of hunting and tracking did he kill his first prey, a Derk. It was only a babe and the boar-like creatures are notoriously dull-minded, but he downed the animal with finesse and speed. The other men remember taking years to kill their first animal. Another boy had just killed his first Derk, but the boy was two years Ael’s senior. Ael’s physical growth was fast, however, and he was slightly larger than Gij.

The larger and higher quality diet he was placed on allowed for expedited growth. Ose pushed him harder than he, perhaps, should have. It was certainly more strain than the other boys were placed under. Ael didn’t bend to this, however, and showed greater perseverance than most others would. The talks with his mother provided the most strength, however. His father was a man of great renown who lost it all due to one act. Ael would repair the Ked name. He worked hard to become strong than others and was soon sparring children some years older than himself and either holding his own or defeating them. Yes, the story a prodigy isn’t interesting or creative, but the weight of expectation from his family and the tribe was too much to allow crumble onto the frost of their land.

Red-stained snow would mark the areas where Ael would train. Every day, he’d acquire a new injury and gain more scars, as was expected by the WexOew and their training methods. By this time, his sister began to learn some combat techniques, as all women should. However, she kept it minimal and taught herself healing techniques to practice on Ael to relieve his aches and pains so he’d be able to train harder. Thanks to her hands and his mother’s words, Ael could push himself to a physical breaking point. Thankfully, his father’s grace would stop the training by then and share stories of his own youth. Support, however harsh or backwards, was also an aspect of ‘love’ within the Epicanthix.

Halfway through the year, Olaa was born, five and half years younger than Ael. Both Odz and Oin could now train with Ael, but only when their father was not present to teach Ael personally. Otherwise, the brothers were sent to compounds with the other children to learn and practice the basics of combat. The brothers would never become Chiefs, though not due to lack of convictions. They idolized their brother from this early age and proved to be just as capable as him, but not as old. It was clear the legendary strength of the Ked was working well through the blood of these offspring.

Spoiler: Part 5

Throughout the next year, Ose was present much less often. Because of this, the boys were able to bond more than usual. Ael taught them the art of hand-to-hand as much as he could, though it seemed Odz and Oin were able to pick it up well enough. They’d spar – two-on-one. Ael’s speed and reflexes were able to increase dramatically since his brothers could beat him easily at first. Over time, Ael’s defense increased dramatically. This ‘defense’ was being able to dodge or counter strikes in with greater power than the opponent. After taking a few beatings from his brothers he was able to return them to a greater degree, as an older brother should. Ael’s knee would become permanently reddened because of these tussles.

His sisters were able to practice their medicines on the boys. Instead of groaning over their roughhousing, they compared wounds and even turned them away if they weren’t great enough. Odz and Oin took lessons from Ael when they wailed on the snow, injured for whatever reason. The sisters wouldn’t come to aid them since their injuries weren’t severe enough. Their skills were too great to tend to such minor wounds. Ironically, Ael never asked for treatment, but Vei would always provide it. Perhaps Ael earned it for his hard work toward himself and, thus, for the tribe. Ael never saw it as such and believed it to be a sense of obligation to the oldest. It could have been some kind of affection Ael was now beyond reciprocating.

Both his parents had been absent, leaving the children to tend to themselves. This wasn’t difficult for the community worked for the community but independence was not unknown. Ael was capable enough to hunt small game without assistance and the girls knew how to nurse the youngest. This came in handy when the Grii invaded their small tribe, exploiting their smaller size. Though delegations were being made between the tribes, the Oew are always a threat. Unlike most other tribes and villages, Oew tribes do not support each other. In fact, they are the least hospitable of people within the Epicanthix.

Ael was able to fend off a few adults. The Grii were shorter than most Epicanthix but Ael was still three quarters the size of the men who threatened to rape and kill the people of his tribe, not to mention his siblings. With his parents gone, it was up to him to protect his five younger siblings. They helped out with minor tasks, but Ael’s skills intensified when his life and the lives of those he cared for were threatened. A spiked club clawed through his right breast which left a noticeable scar when it healed. Ael’s knowledge of the body and open-hand combat allowed him to effectively counter the Grii. Their methods focused on strength and force while the Oew balanced this with skill and cunning.

There were few fatalities among the Oew but the Grii were unable to effectively raid them. Both Ose and Vii had been absent because they suspected this attack to be eminent and were preparing against it, but it seemed the Grii were on to this and attacked prematurely. With the Grii never being a threat to the Oew, any fatalities from their barbaric hands was shameful. Still, the first battle scar for Ael had been acquired and he was well on his way to becoming a strong and capable warrior and leader. But now that the Grii had shown disrespect to the WexOew, war was inevitable. Ael’s training would only intensify at this point.

Spoiler: Part 6

By the time Ael was eight, Ose and Vii had their seventh child, Vlee. It was also unusual that Ael had begun puberty, which his father discovered while Ael was taking a bath during a break between training. His diet affected this, the rare vegetation and animals high in testosterone and vitamins which increased the production of the hypothalamus, which was already exaggerated in Epicanthix. Ael was the youngest boy within the christened group of boys the elders blessed and tribespeople celebrated. The celebration was long but the snow fell heavily, a sign of endurance and power for the Oew. Standing bare in the snow proved the boy’s strength and determination to protect and preserve their tribe. Ael stood outside longer than most.

The days after, Ael’s training only intensified. They wished to keep his mind off the sexual activities he’d be encouraged to perform when he was mentally prepared. He was still far too young even though he’d protected his family against men and was stronger than boys his own age and all before the age of eight. Along with this, the war against the Grii needed to be prepped for and Ael was a promising lad who held great potential to bring down the threats of those he was grown to protect. His high calcium and protein diet allowed for hastened physical growth. Ael would never know what hunger felt like. He soon had trouble coordinating movement due to growth spurts, which would last him the next five years. He quickly recovered from them, however, if only through diligence.

This was the first time in centuries in which the Oew didn’t retaliate immediately. “The Grii should regret attacking us by now,” some of the tribespeople would say, resentful of the lack of action from the Council. But even for the Oew, 100 people was a poorly low number for an entire village. They’d have to practice a greater amount of tact than usual against the Grii when they weren’t known for understanding it at all. The Council thought it strange that the Grii would even attack them since they usually kept to themselves. Perhaps an outside source persuaded them to attacking their enemies foolishly. It couldn’t have been for resources for the Epicanthix were resourceful with what surrounded them, and treasures weren’t important. If there was food nearby, the Council would have known, and the year had produced sparse amounts of edible products and farming in the arctic was unheard of. It was the start of a long and bloody war across the lands, For prophesized.

Spoiler: Part 7

Vii’s time with her family dimished, as did Ose’s. Even with their eighth child, Vaab, their time, and the time of the rest of the tribespeople, was focused on rallying against the Grii tribe which had raided them several months prior. Ael would follow his father around to learn about militaristic tactics as well as tips and lessons from the other men within the tribe as the other boys had begun to do, if only due to conflict. It was by this time that Ael was to be sent on missions to exploit the many weaknesses of the Grii. They were small tasks, almost chore-like, but he retrieved intellect which aided in the larger missions that all but crippled the OxeGrii. The frosted and flattened mountains of the north were easy for the WexOew to navigate and exercise the camouflage they’d invented.

It was quite unusual for an Oew tribe to practice stealth and secrecy. Ael killed the Grii when he was finished with gathering the information, so that remained the same. Injuries during these tasks increased, but his sister was too preoccupied to treat Ael. Fortunately, he healed himself quickly while understanding that Vei’s time was preoccupied with the babies which were left alone by their mother. She usurped the role of Mother for the duration of this conflict, which was known as the Grii-Oew Conflict at the time. It would grow into a much larger conflict, but this was just the beginning of the schemes, of which the Council was aware.

Spoiler: Part 8

After a while, Ose began to test Ael about tactics and strategies the Oew were known for. They were tested and effective, but because they were known, their effectiveness had waned. The Council and Chiefs were currently devising new tactics, but to deviate from what is known is something not practiced often by the Epicanthix. With Ael only being nine years old, he couldn’t attribute much to the creation of new strategies, but he could learn to implement the ones he’d learned. Ael absorbed all he could, wishing to keep at bay the enemy which threatened their well-being for whatever reason, it was still unknown. The days grew longer, but only him.

He trained his body harder than others required of him, but others weren’t around to train him anymore. He sparred against his brothers, teaching them some techniques, but otherwise not allowing them any kind of chance to practice them since Ael practiced an offense that allowed only defense. This was accidental and ultimately led to their deaths, but he believed that they should learn defense before attempting offense. But the best defense is a good offense, which is what the Oew believed whole-heartedly. During this training, he often moved so fast that the clothes of his brothers lit aflame. After that, the boys would take a break while the, now, man continued to practice throughout the night.

He missed slightly the tending to which Vei would give, but he grew stronger by enduring his own aches and pains. Interestingly, they only lasted through the night and he would awake with no soreness or pain. He didn’t know, but Vei had learned of a potion which boosted one’s immune system and reparation of cells throughout the body. This along with the concentrated diet allowed him to constantly train his body. The fact that he started this from such a young age also trained his mind and body to heal itself sooner. It would be unknown for a time, but the Force played a large part in this. Since the Force was not known to the Epicanthix, any inhuman abilities were cast down from ancestors.

Ael’s relationship with his siblings was just as distant as their parent’s. But with war on their hands and the Conflict in full-swing, the warnings of his parents and elders was to be heeded. “Mourning is performed with pride in the heart and eyes of stone. To show anything but independence toward another is a sign of weakness. Your heart belongs to the tribe and not any one being within it.” His grandfather was wiser than Ael could understand at his naïve age, but he still understood the consequences of conflict and knew the inevitability of death within their tribe.

And just as he’d learned this lesson, it was becoming true that he’d have to keep a heart of stone and eyes focused on the pride of the tribe. Wait. The Grii began to retaliate against the boys who were attempting to gain information about their enemy. Many boys, no men, died that night. The Grii, however weak, know of their weaknesses. Ael had to fend off and flee from ten of their men who ambushed him in the black and long night of the Northern Sundown. Ael killed two of them but was forced to return with knowledge that their arms had increased in number and sophistication. When he returned to the rendezvous point, he was alone and heard screams of the Oew men he’d grown up with. Not a tear was shed, but he raced back to his village to relay the information. A full-out attack was planned when Ael returned.

Spoiler: Part 9

It was decided that Ael would be sent in first to check if the Grii were exposed on the particular front they were to invade. The camouflage was now ineffective since the Grii knew what the Oew were up to. The next night, the men of the tribe left to take out the OxeGrii in return for killing the few WexOew. Ael sprinted ahead. The OxeGrii were celebrating, it seemed. But he could also see many sentry units throughout the steeps within the mountainside. “They must be celebrating some kind of wedding or something,” he explained to the Head Chief, his grandfather. “But sentries are keeping a close eye on any suspicious activity. We should try the secondary point of contact.”

Asi nodded quickly and moved the twenty five trained men toward the eastern edge of their enemy tribe. Ael felt proud of himself for proving his value and insight. He didn’t have the time to gloat for he had to keep in front of the pack and scout the positions of the enemy forces. The Grii weren’t known for having large settlements, but the party seemed to spread to the eastern portion as well. Something was suspicious but they were running out of time. “Chief, it seems their forces have grown larger than any of our previous reports have recorded. This entrance is equally protected.” He looked back, knowing something was off about this situation. But he waited for the Head Chief to make his decision.

They sped toward the third point. Astonishingly, the northern entrance looked just as protected. But his keen eyes picked up something interesting. Quickly he returned, not bothering to explain what he believed was happening against them. “We need to push through with full force on the fourth and first points of contact simultaneously.”

“Why? What seems to be the problem, son?

“They’ve been following us. They know we’re here.”

Asi grunted with frustration and split up the groups into two equal parts, barging through the southern and western entrances. As was expected, the western gate was protected, but the southern was bare. Five men died along the western gate, but as soon as the southern group arrived, the Grii were completely overwhelmed by the Oew’s superior skill. The OxeGrii were annihilated that night as the WexOew showed the proper manner in which to invade a rival tribe. Each man, woman, and child was cut down to join each other within the Endless Mountain of Nature’s Realm.

When they returned, the women informed the men of depressing news. Their food reserves were reaching empty too quickly and they needed to perform their monthly raid on the Udz tribe miles away. Ael quickly volunteered as did the Chief, his father, and six other men. It had been almost six weeks since the last raid on the Udz. And even though it was expected, the Udz could never fully protect their food stashes. When the eight men came upon the warehouse, the twenty guards were just the lookout for the fifty that would come soon after. None could imagine the power Ael wielded in his hands and spirit when the battle progressed.

The Udz use numbers and defense to overwhelm attackers. But their defense isn’t protective enough against fire, which spewed from Ael’s hands at a great volume, covering the men and their armor, causing them to run away screeching like babes. The other WexOew tribesmen looked to him in astonishment while Ael just dove into the warehouse to gather as much as he could, which was three large burlap sacks, almost as tall as him, full of grain. They didn’t have time to ooh and ah over this magical power and they understood this when they heard the hoard of Udz Shieldmen stampeding their way toward the warehouse. The others gathered vegetables, fruits, and livestock and quickly fled the compound. Since this was a regular occurrence, it seemed like the Udz viewed is as a game of sorts.

The WexOew celebrated for three days after the victory against the OxeGrii and the successful raid of the UdzBikt. Ael was celebrated for his bravery, perseverance, and the gift provided to him by his ancestors. They now had a weapon to utilize against their aggressors. Ael felt his usefulness to the tribe, his pride, grown and become the frost which forever surrounded them and keep a natural barrier around them. Still his hand-to-hand skills would be tested and his body would undergo tough training, but the elders within the Council sifted through archives to find any evidence of this power and how they might focus and better its use.

Spoiler: Part 10

On Ael’s eleventh birthday, he was blessed into the Wex Warriors. Usually men became Warrior’s by their fifteenth birthday, but with the stress of enemy tribes and the fragile condition of the WexOew themselves, there was concern that their tribe was becoming weak. Still, Ael had more than proven himself against the OxeGrii. His progression from boy to man was sooner than expected, but not ill-deserved. His physical capabilities more than made up for his youthful age. And this was to be celebrated instead of mourned. He was known throughout the tribe as Ael, the Warrior, not the son of the Chief or the grandson of the Head Chief. He had his own identity now, and this was prized and boasted.

But there was a strange sense of regret in Ael. He lived in a harsh tribe and his relationship with his siblings was ever professional. The only interaction with his brothers was that of a coach who beat them senseless to teach them to become stronger. The only interaction with his sisters was to prepare food or heal injuries. Otherwise, he focused on his studies and exploring fire-creating abilities. There was much to learn about the guerrilla tactics employed by the WexOew. This along with his private lessons with his father and the sparring matches against seasoned Warriors filled his days with tiring exercises and endless training. Every day he pushed himself past a point a boy his age should, but he did so for the sake of the village and not for himself. For believed this was why he succeeded.

Spoiler: Volume II

Spoiler: Part 1

The frozen ground crunched under the weight of Ael’s growing body. The white snow had fallen a day prior and the days were growing longer, making the process of gaining footing more difficult than usual. But the season of the Sun was always one of change and compromise with the land. Fortunately, game became more profuse and herbs and plants were fighting their way through the frosty shell of the arctic. Women and children gathered these plants hastily since their robustness against the cold was to be used for themselves. Ael would be consuming much of these substances in order to retain his strength and endurance. With his regular training, lessons, and sessions leaving little time for rest, he could use all the help he could get.

Large footprints led to the Ked igloo where Vei was preparing a meal for the children while helping the boys with their injuries. The other girls were helping, but it was clear that Vei’s progress was only hindered by their presence. Ael received a large gash on his left thigh that he kept wrapped up tightly. Vei took a quick look and turned her attention elsewhere when Vaq rushed over to tend to the wound with her minimal knowledge and gentleness. Ael didn’t wince but Vaq wasn’t as graceful as her older sister. It mattered little for the wound didn’t need to be treated immediate since Ael would train regardless of its condition. He was still thankful for the treatment in the absence of his parents, still plotting against the allied Grii tribes and the recent possibility of an attack from the Udz.

Vei had become more distant recently, however. She didn’t speak to Ael when it wasn’t required, which Ael missed slightly. But they had their tasks and keeping focused on these tasks was of highest importance. But not only was Ael oblivious to the nature of others, Vei was good at hiding her thoughts and feelings. Too much importance was placed onto this single boy within their diminutive tribe. She resented her parents and the Council for forcing a boy to work so hard and she was put off by Ael’s quick acceptance of such treatment. For believed her to be jealous of his future and wished to be needed as he. But this was not the case and she didn’t acquire any of the talent Ael had. Her talents lied in healing, and she was more than capable at the age of ten to deal with significant injuries on her own.

In reality, she didn’t care much to heal her brothers though she refused to tend to Ael most of the time. Only when his injuries included broken bones or significant blood loss did she intervene. Still, she didn’t care that her older brother got himself into this situation. But controlled gashes, pulled muscles, and pinched nerves were almost below her to heal. But Ael needed to learn pain in order to better understand how to prevent it. An odd philosophy, but Ael seemed to understand her methods. She was growing to become an angry woman, having been christened earlier this year. “It would pass,” said For. “She needs to learn about the tribe mind rather than her own. She relies too much on her own understanding.”

Odz, Oin, and Olaa were only future Warriors to Ael. They sparred aggressively, injuring each other more than others would. They trained together in the harshest of ways. They pushed themselves to fainting and vomiting. The other tribespeople thought them zealous and even crazy. But with the times being as they were, the risks of intense training were negligible to the value of gaining strength and experience. The only real flaw was that Ael gained the most from these matches, since the three younger would go against the eldest, requiring more from Ael than Odz, Oin, or Olaa. Each group learned how to survive a group attack and how to gang up on a particularly higher-ranked individual.

Spoiler: Part 2

“Our ancestors are with us always. They keep us strong when we feel weak. They push us farther when we want to stop. They even give us life when it’s drained from us. They protect our minds from confusion and manipulation. Usually, they act on their own, but I’ve found a way to make them do what you want. If you focus, you can feel their energies. Since they are dead, their energies can be used to your own means. You still control your body, your life. You can tell, plea to them what you need from them and they will obey, but only if they deem you worthy, strong enough. I tell you this because I believe you to be stronger than any of us and more capable of this than even me though I have the hands of a wondrous healer.”

Vei’s words were shocking. Not only was she speaking to him, but she did so in a positive manner. She was helping him by giving him knowledge. Along with this, control over the powers the ancestors gifted him could be controlled and manipulated. How she had learned this, he didn’t know. But this was against the beliefs of the tribe. Ancestors gifted powers to those worthy, but to take them against their will would be blasphemy on their memories. But perhaps this wasn’t so. The manner in which Vei put it made it seem valid and pure. Her words were young and immature, much as she was, but Ael could see what she meant, if only because he was her brother. When Ael was found practicing this odd ability, whispers began to spread since men weren’t trained in the arts of healing and never had one been gifted with the ability. Not only that, but he now had the power to destroy and to heal.

It definitely came in handy during the following month’s raid on the Udz warehouses. For some reason, the UdzBikt were growing restless with the WexOew’s robberies, which is the first it’s been heard. It was hard to believe that they were running low on food since that was their major product. When they were raided, there didn’t seem to be a shortage, but they were also met by a familiar adversary. For some reason, the Udz had employed a Grii tribe allied with the OxeGrii. Both situations were largely unheard of, which made the robbery all the more difficult to execute due to utter confusion. It was like before when the OxeGrii knew the WexOew were arriving. It made fending them off more difficult. True, they had physical strength above them, but their skill and intuition was much lower than their own. Luckily, the Oew are good at thinking on their feet and defended their selves effectively enough.

But this took too long and the UdzBikt reinforcements showed up before the Oew could successfully escape. Some of them were able to, but the Chief was always the last to leave, and this was Ael’s father. Ael had been a part of every raid for two years since he became a Warrior. The punitive fire he’d been able to spew from his hands was enough to keep him safe, but his father had been struck by an arrow. Ose pleaded for his son to leave him, but Ael broke off the tip and tied his own shirt around the wound to slow the bleeding. They were quickly surrounded by shieldmen who shouted at them for a time before advancing. Over his father’s body, Ael erected a wall of flames around them with a meter radius. This was all to buy time so he could call upon his ancestors and beg them for the health of his father to be returned to him.

The UdzBikt worked quickly against the wall of flames and fell upon them. Ael fended off several of them with his own hands, disarming them and disabling them with expert punches he’d practiced on his brother. But with an excess amount of adrenaline, his punches were far more powerful than in practice. He broke ribs in a few of the men he dispatched, though he was only thirteen years old. There were more than Ael anticipated and one of the UdzBikt stuck his father near the lung with one of their spears. Now fire poured from Ael’s hands and feet, splashing over the shieldmen and forcing them all back lest they be burnt alive mercilessly. He used his pants to quickly wrap the second wound and the clothes of a felled shieldsman to cover his body and protect it from the cold as he lifted his father over his shoulder to carry him home.

The sight outside the walls was horrid. The NobGrii had intercepted their escape, slaughtering all of them and spilling their blood over the permafrost grass. They had stolen the food and fled, not bothering to make sure each of them was dead. The few still living called to Ael to save them, for they’d die if left in the condition they were in. The travel was long back to the tribe and they’d die if he saved anyone but them. The Chief was of greater importance and Ael lugged his father with ease in the frozen night and nearly nude. The First Battle of the Grii-Oew-Udz Wars had been fought, and the WexOew had lost significantly. The Chief was mortally wounded and would sustain permanent injuries from which he’d never recover. His breathing and movement was now impaired. The Council believed his actions rash and thoughtless, but any of the other men would have had the same complications. The Grii were barbaric but knew how to disable someone quickly and entirely. The Grii had not been able to reach the Chief which meant he had a better chance.

But Ael was unable to save his fellow tribesmen. This failure weighed on him. His training only intensified and his relationship with his siblings only grew more distant and harsh. And with the death of seven of the best raiders, their food supplies would diminish rapidly. The young hunters were having trouble tracking game, but a few trips with Ael and his odd knack for sensing where the game had escaped to and clues for the others to look for enabled more effective hunting methods. The Councilmen also had to intervene, something entirely unheard of within any Oew tribe. This placed great strain within the Council, itself, but also among the tribespeople. Strife would cause the collapse of the WexOew.

Some of the Councilmembers believed an all-out attack on the Udz, complete with the women and children, was necessary for their redemption. But redemption wouldn’t come with death, believed the others. Victory was the way of the Oew, and death and victory were not the same thing, no matter how valiant the fight. They agreed that the training be intensified throughout the population and the strict recruitment of each boy at the age of the four had to be implemented for the security of the tribe. This caused parents to outrage against the Council. For could only shake his head, knowing what would come from this conflict.

It only took a few months before a four year old died during the harsh training implemented by the Elders. Some of the tribespeople blamed the boy for not being strong enough, unable to endure the training. Others within the groups thought the training was inhumane. “But how had they survived?” was the argument. It was this single incident that nearly half the tribe exiled themselves from the WexOew, though they named it “secession.” Six of the ten Council members also left. With the Ked family having the most authority within the diminished WexOew, the Head Chief and the Councilor, Shu Ose, became the dominant factor in where the tribe would be conducted from here on. Each tribesperson knew they were still at war with the Grii and Udz.

Spoiler: Part 3

Odz’ body was found on the frozen grass. His blood stained and froze onto his now cold body. The bodies of Udz and Grii tribespeople lay alongside him, showing a heroic effort to fend off their enemies. Ose stood over it with a stony body and dry eyes. The few men who survived the Permafrost Battle stood around the second son of their Chief. Ael’s eyes were equally dry, remembering the curse Odz gained at his premature birth. But he killed more enemies at a time than Ael had with his own two hands at any particular time. He showed adaptivity in fighting with a group and then fighting against a group. Ael was proud of what his brother had accomplished. His short twelve year life would be remembered fondly.

The Permafrost Battle was unintended by the Oew but obviously intentional by the Grii and Odz. Again, during another robbery of the UdzBikt, they were rushed at the last moment. Escaping the city, they were once again met by the OxeGrii. Though the WexOew had begun to employ larger groups to raid the Odz, the Grii’s numbers were still much greater than their own seeing as half their tribe had seceded. Somehow, the enemy must have learned this as they sent but a score of men to intercept the theft. But Ael noticed something when he was occupying the UdzBikt by burning down their warehouse and effectively stopping the cycle of this aggression. The Udz seemed just as against the Grii as they. It was also apparent that they were in it for the resources as well. Perhaps this was why the Udz grew more aggressive, they were being robbed by both tribes and now the schedules just seemed to meet each other.

But it was more planned than that. Now with their major food source was condemned, the Council and Warriors could focus on the war against the Udz and Grii. Their stash was enough to get them through the season of the moon. The men and women were encouraged to breed to increase their numbers, but worry still snowed over them for the increase of infants would threaten their effectiveness on the field since the infants required attention to grow and become strong. But with the loss from battles inevitable, this concern was counterbalanced. And Odz’ death contributed to this sad realization. The ceremony for burning the bodies of the dead, sending them to their ancestors, was short as planning for the next attack needed to plan.

They simply didn’t have the man power anymore. They couldn’t split up and attack several points of the Grii to try and cause confusion. The Oew had to be direct as ever, and it seemed they relied on this. One attack on the OxeGrii would leave them open to retaliation. They were known to attack when at their defensive weakness, and they could spare their own numbers on such a puny tribe. They were stuck keeping defensive for months. Movement outside the compound was restricted and monitored. The hunting parties now hunted for the OxeGrii instead of wild game, though they were on the same level, socially. The WexOew became paranoid to some degree. For foresaw a victory for their tribe, however.

Oin died while in a hunting party. The screams indicated a kind of animalistic attack, as did the wounds which caused his death, or this was what was assumed at first. The Council wished to examine the body to rule out the possibility of Grii infiltration or any kind of traitorous act. What they found was intriguing. Arteries were sliced clean through and muscles were torn outside of the aesthetically mortal wounds. Any Grii tribe was beyond this kind of tactic and any within the Oew would not have practiced such a torturous method of murder. Also, it was odd that the Chief’s son, a descendent of a prominent family, had been the target of the attack when others could have just as easily been targeted. A fourth party had become involved, it seemed. The Saq were the suspects, but this was kept internal and secret from the tribespeople for they were already feeling defeated.

Of course, Ose grew more aggressive with his tactics, which others didn’t see eye-to-eye with. The Chief wanted to get rid of any nearby Grii tribe permanently, to eliminate an entire front of the war. The Council thought he was just paranoid due to the deaths of two of his sons. They threatened to revoke him his title and honor, which seemed effective enough in curbing his thirst for revenge, however misdirected. But it only made his schemes grow in secret and only with Ael since they had an odd relationship of unshakeable trust and loyalty. Ael agreed with the elimination of the Grii would ease the strain the war placed on the tribe. And, since Ael wasn’t seen with others often, his presence wouldn’t have been missed. So the weeks he took to the nearest Grii tribes went unnoticed when he burnt their huts to the ground and incinerated each person within it. Or that’s what the plan was.

Ael wasn’t able to follow through with the complete massacre of an entire tribe. Also, he didn’t let on that his ability with his fire creation was limited. He could only set off chain reactions to burn down the structures of the buildings while providing ample warning of its danger. Casualties were few, and with Ael notorious for his abilities, they knew exactly who to retaliate against. He was as truthful and honest as he was loyal to his father, though. When he returned, he warned the Chief of an attack by the Grii that would be sizeable and intimidating. It wouldn’t occur until a few months, so preparations were made to protect their tribe as best they could. Though they hadn’t migrated in years, tense times such as these disallowed travel.

These attacks on the Grii didn’t go unnoticed by the Council. Ael was brought in front of them and was reprimanded for his rash actions. He claimed them to be his own in order to keep his father’s position safe even though his father never pleaded for his place to be kept. Strangely enough, Ose assumed his son would tell the truth, but it seemed he was most loyal to his own father. Ael reciprocated his own reprimands upon his father, however, claiming his father persuaded him to act in such a way that placed the tribe under greater harm, and all because he couldn’t handle his sons’ deaths, which was blasphemous in itself. “I’m giving you a second chance. You should have known I would kill entire tribes with my gifts for your personal gain. Remember the doctrine you instilled in me. It’s there for a reason. Protect us by being strong in the mind.”

It’s the first time Ose had been talked down to by his own son, the sign of a true man, a strong and capable man.

Spoiler: Volume III

Spoiler: Part 1

The chilled night air was filled with shrieks and groans of women and children burning alive and men being crushed and cut to pieces by the clubs of the Grii and the spears of the Oew. Blood froze over the ground, making it slippery and all the more dangerous to tread regardless of the entire UdzBikt village completely in flames. The shadows cast from it placed masks over the surviving WexOew. The remaining Warriors had fought for their tribe well, though half of them remained after the Second Battle of Grii-Oew-Udz. Their victory was only due to Ael’s growing control over his fire. Unfortunately, the victory came at the cost of half their men of fighting age. The Council still knew of this fourth party. So the practice of taking slaves was utilized for the first time in Oew history.

Of course they were segregated, but they were provided food and shelter without molesting their pride. Comfort was minimal throughout the encampment, still. The remaining NobGrii didn’t settle in as well as the UdzBikt, the Mountain people being more proud of their honor than those of the Plains. For the time being, strife would be at its lowest in a while in spite of the enemy tribes becoming slaves of the Oew. But they had to submit to the superior strength and resilience of the Snow people. They fought better than two other tribes against them at the same time. With more communication between the Grii and Udz, victory’s proclamation might have come from a different source, but alliance with enemy tribes was just as blasphemous as mourning the dead.

Months later, when roles were being filled and executed properly and escape was at a low, the Chief’s son was to be wed to a competent healer, Sha Qok. The arranged wedding was quick and surprising to Ael, who still trained for combat ‘til the day of the ceremony. The slaves were disappointed by the terse celebration but the Oew had other matters to attend to, the most important being breeding, which is what Ael and Qok did on their first wed day. Six months later, as was expected, Qok Ked was born and celebrated. The Ked family would live on with a robust and resilient line of capable men, or so was hoped for the sake of Olaa who was rumored to be the next to be the target for assassination or to fall in battle. But the end of Ael’s fifteenth year was more relaxed than his previous, having matured physically almost completely, which was remarkable and awesome for the WexOew.

Spoiler: Part 2

Soon within the Season of the Moon, Sel Qok was born. Ael began training Qok as he had at the child’s age. A few months later, Vei bore a child, giving birth to Ael’s niece, Vai Ael. The boom of babies the Council intended was coming to fruition. Though just small children, they were skilled in the lesser tasks best performed by smaller bodies. Ael saw his own children just as he’d viewed his own siblings, as the future defenders of the WexOew. For noted the care Ael took with his children and warned him about his father’s faults. Ael waved them off quickly and claimed the advice premature and baseless. The prophet’s worth meant little to Ael, even though they were related by marriage. And Sha and Ael’s relationship wasn’t much better.

Soon the children discovered surprising news: Ael hadn’t destroyed the NobGrii and UdzBikt completely. A tribe close to their west had been reconstructed from ashes and the village was already renovated with larger walls than before. News of this quickly spread, since the lips of children are loose. The slaves grew more restless. Ael proposed they be left to leave. With the enemies’ tribes current conditions, and the apparent background position of the fourth party, the Saq, as was rumored, allowed the Council to accept the decision. As was expected, when scouting parties were sent, bodies were found as well as a few survivors. Few of the Grii and Udz slaves agreed to return back and work for the Oew while even fewer made it ‘home.’

Skirmishes were fought sparingly throughout the year, but nothing stressful enough to bring concern to Ael directly. He decided to slow down on the use of his fire and focus on implementing his open-handed combat style, in honor to Odz. The Grii couldn’t compose a group large enough to compete with the Oew’s skills and the warehouse, though sparse, of the Udz was left largely unprotected and easy to raid. The slaves found comfort in the capable hands of their captors. Some even vowed to fight alongside the WexOew in the skirmishes against their birth tribe. Ael never fully trusted them, as many of them would whisper in the dark, but the numbers were more important than trust.

This was decided before a particular incident, however. After this, no slaves would be allowed to fight alongside the WexOew and they would work for their lesser share of food, water, and shelter. During a routine raid upon the UdzBikt, two slaves had been allowed to join the Warriors. Those two plotted against their born enemies and beat down one of them when they had an escape planned. This individual happened to be Vei’s husband, Draa. And what seemed intentional was their successful attempt to sterilize the man, knowing the WexOew’s persistent efforts to increase their numbers. The Grii and Udz slaves found refuge in the UdzBikt village, somehow, and returned to their normal lives after providing precious information to their allies.

The trip home was solemn and none of the men spoke to each other. Ael couldn’t have been more disappointed when he came home, either. Birthed at such a failure made by her lenient father, For believed Sqi would become easily manipulated and persuaded in her adult life. Also, this birth provided sad irony for Vei when her husband’s lack of potency was revealed to her. She only showed disappointment, however, instead of sorrow. And this disappointment wasn’t toward Draa but, instead, Ael. It seemed he was failing where his father had, after all. Though they were different faults, his mind was still too soft to lead this tribe effectively. So it was he that enacted the restrictions on the slaves and personally sought them out when they attempted to flee. He also began actively seeking the advice of the Council, something beyond his father.

Spoiler: Part 3

The raids on the UdzBikt became easier even when the NobGrii continued to try and intercept them. But Ael went only to protect the other five other men he brought with him. He was developing methods to dispatch larger groups of enemies by oneself all the while. He could also take this time to implement new ideas with open-handed combat. And whenever he’d get overwhelmed, he’d use his fire to make the Grii flee with terror. He wouldn’t allow his men to become overwhelmed again. And with the slaves under strict monitoring, mutiny would no longer be a concern. Their food reserves increased and they could now spend the time to chase runaways and track them down while making sure the others were working enough to keep the tribe running smoothly.

Casualties of the WexOew had ceased since Ael’s change of heart and less lax tactics against the Udz and Grii. The time with his family was virtually nonexistent, however. He heard of their improvement, which he enjoyed to hear. Anything beyond pride he would not feel for his kin. He’d quickly become a prime example of how the Oew should view everyone within the tribe, relative or not. Each had their role in the community and the tasks needed to be accomplished efficiently. When they were not, the worth of that individual would be washed away like the sun during a blizzard. They would be replaced and valued more than the other. This was the way of the Epicanthix, but more so the Oew.

It became time to search for a mate for his second sister. There weren’t many men to choose from, but she seemed to disapprove of each man Ael would propose to her. He could see she’d already picked one, so he asked who it was she was interested in. “You wouldn’t approve. Just pick one and I’ll live in sorrow and regret the rest of my life, as it should be.” Her attitude wasn’t appreciated and he shouted at her, telling her to quit acting like a child. “Fine,” she finally said, pouting. “It’s Tat Mof.”

“The slave?”

She only nodded shyly. Since the tribe was so small, Ael had learned the name of each individual, though mostly for ease in running missions against the enemy tribes or parties to search for deserters. But Ael knew this boy, perhaps a few months older than himself. He was frail and weak, but worked hard. He had this cough that seemed to never go away, suggesting constitutional frailness. He’d come from the UdzBikt, which were known for their lesser strength and individual power. What could he possibly contribute to her life that would make her lust over the boy? Not only was this entirely against the Epicanthix culture as a whole, the Oew viewed these individuals as traitors and marked for death for even proposing this manner of elopement.

“He gives me attention. I couldn’t live with myself with a husband who ignores and disrespects me like you do to your wife. And I don’t want him to become injured in battle like Vei’s husband. I couldn’t stand not bearing children. This whole war is ruining this tribe and I’m done with fighting it. It’s not going anywhere and there’s no purpose for it.”

Ael stood agog by how his sister was speaking to him. He couldn’t refute her, for her mind was clearly made up and of some other mind completely. She hadn’t learned of the WexOew way, it seemed, and it would be too late to do so. “You will be classed as traitors within the WexOew and refugees among other tribes. You will be treated little better than slaves. Is this really what you want?”

“We’re going to seek out a Mil village. They are known for their hospitality and we can start a new life together there in peace. They will know how to heal Tat. It will be a wonderous life.”

“You think too highly of your future and hope too high for anything on this worldly plane. If he can survive that long of a journey and avoid all the conflict throughout this region, than you deserve what you wish for. Leave tonight to the east. There won’t be any scouts in that direction, I promise you. I won’t come looking for you. When you leave the snow, you will no longer be of the Oew or the Ael. We will forget you, but don’t forget us. I can’t stop you from living your life how you want. Just know that your mistakes are your own and that you will learn from them.”

Vaq squealed and leapt onto Ael with her arms wrapping around him tightly. He did not return the sign of affection, which didn’t seem to bother the girl. His harsh words didn’t seem to reach her, or she was completely unaffected by them; if the latter, than she was more resilient than he initially believed. He didn’t watch her pack but made sure none of his siblings would see her attempt to elope. He cared little for the weak and even less for those who approved of them. Vaq wasn’t a necessary part of the tribe, not anymore at least. And this single slave would not be missed. He’d have to lie about killing him, however, so the slave didn’t believe Ael was softening and that there was a safe way out of their enslavement.

It’d been a month since Vaq had deserted them. Vii was aware of the circumstances and approved of Ael’s response, but wouldn’t voice her knowledge of the situation. Instead, she focused on teaching the girls methods for healing ailments and treating major wounds. They’d be called upon the field soon, for the Final Skirmish was to be planned. Boys outnumbered the men entirely within their ranks. Three girls were required to tend to a single body rather than a single woman. They’d revisit the UdzBikt a final time. Ael and a few of his men would make sure none could escape the compound. The rest would fend off and follow the NobGrii when they’d come and attempt an ambush. The had but fifty men altogether, making twenty-five unit regiments for the raid on the village and following the Grii back to their tribe.

What Ael didn’t fully account for was the riling and raid the slaves would create. Three men, including Olaa, were completely overwhelmed by their tactless approach. They had no choice but to kill each one of them, infant or man, it mattered none to those classed as slaves among the WexOew. However, one of them had crafted a kind of knife which plunged into Olaa’s heart. A fatal wound without the hopes of healing, and the other men he was stationed with stabbed his skull to stop the suffering. It seemed they learned of Tat’s escape and that the Chief allowed it. Tat wasn’t as honorable as Ael believed, grateful that he wouldn’t have to see the frail man again, and even hoped he died on the journey and leave Vlee alone, punishing her for her naivety.

During this tragedy, Ael engulfed the entire village with screams, reminding him of the Second Grii-Oew-Udz Battle. Their numbers were almost completely wiped out in those hours as they tried to flee but were met by the Wex Warriors and cut down before they could gasp a smokeless breath. The second regiment quickly took out the Grii who attempted the raid and were followed all the way back into the mountains. They plundered it useless before killing all those they could find. There were few casualties for the WexOew, but only because of the women who healed the men well enough to keep them fighting strong. The short day following this battle, the WexOew made their way back to the compound and the ceremony was held for the dead but eventually turned into a celebration of victory. Their numbers less than before, recovery was inevitable.

Months following the victory over the Udz and Grii, representatives found their way to the arctic north. Ael met with them personally and in secret, as was directed by the Council. This would test his negotiation skills, if he had any. Surprisingly, Ael held within him a mercy not known to the Wex. The Udz wished to leave the area and join a rival tribe while the Grii wished to rebuild where they were but never instigate another attack on the WexOew for as long as they both exist. Any attack from either side would be treated as mutiny and would be an open gesture for war once again, which was something neither wanted. Ael accepted this condition, knowing the Udz had been a major source of food for them and that the Grii weren’t known to keep promises. But the slaves had taught to a few of the Wex the art of agriculture. And the Elders were beginning to manipulate these ideas to allow growth in the arctic.

Change fell over the WexOew like a blanket of fresh snow. When Slcu was born a few months later, Ael made the attempt to spend more time with his family. This would prove Vaq all the more incorrect in her prejudices and her childish rationalization. Ael had matured in a strong and powerful member of the WexOew. Being only slightly taller than average, the only noticeable feature about him was the aura he exuded of power and pride. The ancestors had given him power beyond most others could imagine. It seemed they blessed him for his well-placed mercy and his even hand. Every decision he made redeemed him and his father’s name. He slept peacefully for the first time in years.

Spoiler: Volume IV

Spoiler: Part 1

Who committed this assassination, and why the newly recruited Chief? It’d been only a month since his promotion and now his blood coated the walls of his igloo with a dark red hue and provided a stink that none wished to whiff. The igloo was destroyed and a new one made nearby, but with new snow and ice. With the children growing up all at once, there was much work to do with training and teaching them the ways of the WexOew. Only a few men had the time between hunting and tracking deserters to train the young, and the Chief’s duties involving communications between enemy tribes only grew more profuse since the deal had been made. It was Ael and the Head Chief who were responsible for the training regiments and organizing search parties and hunting teams. Needless to say, Ael’s time with his family decreased significantly.

He trained as he had in his youth, however, and his body only grew. He stopped growing which meant his sense of balance and depth perception improved completely. Because of that, when he sparred with other men, he wouldn’t break a sweat while humiliating them. Only a few could give him a hard time, but he didn’t have much to learn. Instead, he could be seen lugging an obscene amount of supplies through the melting snow or lifting blocks of ice to create an unnecessarily large igloo all by himself. He’d then break his fists and feet through the ice, and all with minimal clothing. The chill of the air only thickened his skin as he worked himself harder than anyone else should have. Never did he expect others to perform as diligently as him, but exercising in the open as he did, he inspired the young to be strong and capable as he was.

Ael hardly noticed when his sister, Vlee, died from a common sickness. But the death of his sister, of which he only had two now, was another sign of familial weakness that needed to be rid of for the sake of the tribe’s strength. Yes, Vlee’s smile was always comforting and warm and her ability to touch others with words was above most others. She was wise beyond her years, but she didn’t contribute much to the tribe outside of morale. Of course, morale could be invaluable, but Ael did his own work in keeping the men’s morale up by proving himself daily with strength and vitality. He worked diligently for his tribe, for the tribe is what kept him alive, what gave him purpose. This was his home, and he’d sooner fall than see his people suffer under others.

Still, each time he laid with his wife, she received him completely and bore a child. Another girl was born, which they named Sec. The fifth girl out of six children, Ael wasn’t even twenty and his fertility was strived toward. He was the prime example of what a man should be and how his duties should be fulfilled. Sha was praised for her ability to keep faithful and support an absent man only absent when he wasn’t trying to relieve himself. But with Qok being four years old, the boy could follow his father around and watch in awe as he worked. He would imitate the man, though in vain. Ael would chuckle heartily at his small son wishing to become like his father, which is all he could ask for. Just like his own siblings, his girls were well on their way to becoming fantastic healers, and with much help from Vei since she only had one child of her own and was the only child the ancestors would gift her.

Spoiler: Part 2

Throughout the years, Ael had been able to develop his ability to call upon the ancestors to heal his injuries. Though he tried, it seemed his ability to heal others was not part of the gift. It was a cruel exception since he was able to burn people alive but not heal them and only himself. Some of the igloos he’d create himself would be the target of his fire as he instilled accuracy and intensity in the ability. He was certainly becoming quite capable in all aspects of combat he was provided by the ancestors. He worked years and decades on each skill and hardly rested. Some believed the ancestors allowed him the vitality and endurance to work as hard as he did. For confirmed this belief as he could sense the aura of even more ancestors surrounding him wherever he went. It’s not like his diet changed dramatically enough to fuel him as much as he worked.

But he’d have to eat more after the Head Chief was killed. Why they didn’t target Ael, the Council was unsure. It had to be the Saq that was trying to demoralize the tribe before raiding them or some such nonsense. They guessed Ael’s endless training made him a poor target since he was up ‘til the wee hours of the morning. They were skilled in stealth, this was clear, since the assassin was able to bypass Ael’s impressive awareness with ease. But if they could so easily assassinate another, why couldn’t they have found a way to down Ael? Did they want him to be promoted in the way he did? He was forced to claim the position; though a Council member took the spot informally for the sake of efficiency.

The slaves toiled daily on the ice farms of the WexOew, providing the entire tribe with enough food to keep energy levels up enough to work as hard as they did. The hunting wasn’t going so poorly either. It seemed the Grii had stretched their selves farther than the Oew initially assumed. The motion around the tribe was fast and purposeful, which is just what Ael liked, and it took attention away from him even though many people called to his attention. Many wished for their sons to work directly below him, to tutor them privately, but his talents and skills could not be bought for a single individual. Ael accepted them into the group he was training, which wasn’t any better or worse than any others, but this was only Ael’s perception of the situation.

Further investigation of the assassination revealed a very different method of death, something they recognized and even respected. The death was quick and largely painless in respects to the first, which was far more brutal. Not only that, but the wounds made were from similar, or the same, tools as they had. The Council quickly assumed that it was the seceded portion of their tribe. At this news, Ael set off to burn their settlement to the ground. He would not have traitors harassing them, especially those who thought themselves better than his own tribe. They didn’t think the WexOew was good enough for them, but it was good enough to completely destroy everything they’d worked so hard to create. Those close to death believed Ael to be the spirit of justice, repenting as they burst to flames and perished.

Again, the even hand of Head Chief Ked, as he was to be addressed from now on and in no other manner, leveled to the ground those which had wronged the WexOew. These efforts did not go unheard of, but the bastardized version of the story reached the Udz and Grii. It mattered little since they knew they couldn’t handle the frozen flames of the infamous Ael Ked. During this massacre, as some put it, his last daughter was born, Slii. She would become ruthless and harsh, by some seers, while others believed her to become fair and just, much like her father. Still, he could not spend much time with his family since training needed to continue and to a greater degree than before if they were to fend off this invisible foe. The Saq was a concern of priority for the WexOew.

Spoiler: Part 3

They came quietly in the night. Their arrows whistled through the wind as it blew across the icy plains, sticking into the guards around the slaves. Their cries were cut short by knives, but the short cry was enough to alert the rest of the small tribe. Ael was one of the first to rise and recognize the workings of the Fiv. How they made it so far north would be a matter to discuss later, but the new enemy needed to be ousted before musings could be mused. Ael and the other men sprinted in the cold night across the open plains and with the minimal coverage within the arctic. The Fiv were bundled up enough to look like Rynz, a bear-like creature only native to the mixed deciduous forests. Fortunately for the WexOew, this made them easy to fall upon and take out quickly. The spears of the WexOew were sharp and long enough to penetrate any thickness of hide and any toughness of armor.

The Fiv Raid was negligible, but Ael took care of the threat immediately. As he did with any threat of his tribe, he burned to the ground almost entirely. Some believed it part of his mercy to allow only a few to survive his rampage, others decided it was purely accidental and an inconsistency within his training. Still, he took weeks to track where these Fiv had originated from, leaving his pupils and his family to fend for themselves for a period of time. No one knew, but he took little food with him and found water sparingly. His ability to push his body beyond human measure was just another gift from his ancestors. The Council agreed that this departure of their Head Chief was affordable and necessary considering their still-struggling condition.

Soon after he left, the slaves grew restless. Either the Fiv were attempting to free the slaves or take them for their own. They also could have been there to slaughter them, as is what should have happened before. Some tried to escape more regularly and efforts to keep them within the compound grew more radical. Overseers were tasked with keeping the slaves in line. Ael returned to find them chained to their stations with injuries across their bodies. The night he returned, a night of celebration once more for their accomplished Head Chief, was the night many slaves attempted a simultaneous escape. Ael took the time to lasso each one back to the compound, by words or by force. He couldn’t have their main food source be in jeopardy because they wished for freedom from oppression.

A week later, Ael proposed a ceremony take place to christen the slaves into the WexOew tribe formally. Initially, it wasn’t received well, but through much persuasion and after hearing many valid arguments, the ceremony was held. They hoped for the slaves to feel more part of the tribe in which they worked for. From this day on, they wouldn’t be classed as ‘slaves’ but, rather, refugees. They worked for their place within the tribe and held as much voice as those born within it, or so was the idea. They could leave whenever they wished, but life would be safe for them, as was proven by Ael time and again. If they left, they risked shameful death. They were able to keep their origins, both a negative and positive item. They could also train within the Warriors’ ranks, though were unable to acquire the title.

Aba, Head Chief Ked’s eighth child and second son, was born in a time of turmoil. Whispers from the Saq had blown in about the Udz planning some kind of offensive against the WexOew. Whether this was the ‘allied’ village or an outlying one was unclear. Months passed and it was confirmed that the UdzBikt were marching an army toward their compound to rid them from the world. The UdzBikt only believed the WexOew would continue their robberies soon and wished to keep security in their village. To keep the security, one must first rid themselves of known enemies and threats. The Saq had placed these lies in the Council’s heads, as they did with the WexOew. They would clash once more, and the Wex Warriors were prepared for the Grii to join the battle as well.

But the Final Permafrost Battle lacked the barbarianism of the Grii. It seemed the whispers of the Saq were ineffective against their simple minds. Ael took out twenty men himself and with empty hands at the start of the battle before rushing the village and making sure each soul was extinguished before returning to the battlefield and finishing off the UdzBikt. The lifelong conflict with the Plains and the Mountains seemed to be over. The Snow could rest easily that night when they were provided with a messenger from the NobGrii relayed a treaty of peace as well as claim of surrender to the WexOew. They didn’t wish to feud with a tribe who proved themselves superior time and time again. The Council respected this this claim and vowed to keep out of the mountainous territory. But any Grii within the Snow or any Oew upon a mountain would be an enemy and could be terminated on sight.

Spoiler: Part 4

“Head Chief Ked, your deeds are impressive indeed, but we fear you are losing sight of what it’s like to be a true warrior. The WexOew work together to bring down threats to the tribe. They take time to remember the fallen and unfit. They also don’t rely on the gifts of our ancestors to win victories. We want you to take the time and meditate on what it’s like to be a Wex Warrior. You rely too much on your own strength and vitality. You forget you are part of a tribe that requires you to work with the tribe, not for it. You are not the link holding the chain together, you are a link that connects each part to each other. Do not pride yourself with more worth than others when you are no such being of divine awesomeness.”

Ael only nodded. They were jealous; they were trying to stunt him. No, that’s someone who’s a lesser part of the tribe would believe. Their words held a truth he’d yet to see. It’s not that he was self-centered, but he held little faith in his fellow tribespeople. This lack of faith forced him to act harshly and directly when faced with aggression. Instead of working on his open-hand combat, he could be seen meditating quietly on his own. He held no training sessions and didn’t read the lore of the WexOew. He took time to learn about his own family he’d helped create but not raise. He could see that, though this future was immediately weak and feeble, they would grow into capable Warriors and contributors to the tribe. He began to feel what it was like to love once again.

The Elders wished to duel with Ael more intensely, though that was the only way to challenge the boy. They tested his mind, seeing if he’d changed how he viewed the compound, that he was a part of it instead of it being an item to protect. Along with this, they discovered he mastered the art of open-hand combat. The most experienced and skilled duelists couldn’t get through his terrible offense. Ael’s erratic and swift strikes were difficult to track and deflect properly. What they also noted was his apparent enjoyment of the fight itself. Besting another with skill and power, figuring maneuvers and tactics to gain an advantage on the field, to best a senior in something they’ve had a longer time to perfect, this is what Ael enjoyed most.

They, the Elders, agreed that he had reason to boast. He was strong, smart, and capable. His movements and flexibility was unremarkable, but his speed and directness made up for this. Not only that, but Qok seemed to show interest in the skill and some kind of talent for it, like his father. He also showed a greater amount of independence than Ael, but that was probably due to his complete absence from the home. Still, Ael declared hand-to-hand combat an integral part of the curriculum when teaching the young to fight. Like his own father believed, learning the intimate depths of the self reveals the truth of all else. Ael proved this by sparring with an individual who spent years mastering each weapon while Ael had only focused on open-hand combat. Ael successfully disarmed his opponent and skillfully used the weapon against him. Of course, not as well as the weapons master, but that wasn’t the point of the demonstration.

Months later, when the curriculum had effectively changed, young Azo was born. The twenty-two year old now had nine children to raise and tend. Interestingly, as he grew more interested in interacting with his family, Ael quickly picked up the methods and tactics for fatherhood. By taking the time to relearn what it was he was part of the tribe for, his ability to father his children appeared from the ancestors, some would claim. It seemed his ancestors held nothing from him, as it seemed they did with others. It was believed that when one couldn’t accomplish a particular skill that the ancestors withheld that particular skill or they were just making difficult for the individual to learn so they’d learn diligence and perseverance. Ael showed he had wells of perseverance, however.

During the Season of the Moon, a foreigner arrived, wishing for a meeting with the Head Chief. Come to find out, this foreigner was the Head Chief of a rival Oew tribe, and from the OewCab tribe to the southeast of their position. He’d heard whispers of the god-like Ael Ked and wished to see if his might was a truth or merely a fable spread by his own followers. After a short discussion between the two Head Chiefs, they made their way further north to duel in a more ‘friendly’ manner. This resulted in the Cab Head Chief gaining a broken femur and three ribs and Ael largely unharmed. The Cab Chief even used a spear against the Wex Chief, who insisted on remaining unarmed. It was true, the WexOew had the most superior combatants in the land. It was now clear why any who opposed them ended up in flames.

Spoiler: Part 5

Months passed after the duel with the OewCad Head Chief. The boys were growing into manhood quickly and the population of adults burst. Ael began to have trouble keeping up with the boys who wished to duel with him one-on-one and immediately after each other. It was little trouble to execute dozens are short duels back-to-back, however. Outside the compound, they were practicing open-hand techniques into the air when a crowd was spotted over the sunny horizon. The Season of the Sun always provided growth and expansion, but this kind of expansion was unheard of. The entire OewCad tribe had traveled to their allied WexOew tribe to join them.

The Council was almost overwhelmed. They had become so akin to the smaller Council of four members and the lone Head Chief. Now they had twelve Council members and fourteen Elders, as opposed to the four before this merge. The size of the tribe also increased by a whole and a half. Luckily the OewCad Council agreed to be kept separate and lesser for the time before they proved their loyalty. A ceremony was held, much like that of the slaves, to indoctrinate this merging of tribes, which had never happened in Oew history. It seemed to be the generation of firsts, which didn’t sit well for many. But the OewCad seemed willing to fall into their duties under those of the WexOew. They also created a compound adjacent to the WexOew to allow them space.

“This can’t be a trick. I know tricks and this isn’t one of them.”

“You wouldn’t know a trick if you fell into one.”

“Your lack of faith is disturbing and unproductive. You know we could crush them if they even attempted to rebel.”

“Your lack of sense is astonishing and bewildering. They could kill all of us in our sleep if they wanted.”

“We have guards for that, and they’ve been more than accommodating to our ways. No disloyal group would work so hard to fit into a place they don’t belong.”

“Hard work is required to gain the upper hand of a superior force.”

Qok and Ael argued like this for weeks, it seemed. This was also the argument among the other WexOew members. Adu was cursed to never know compromise or reason when he was born during this turmoil within the tribe. However, even with the younger Warriors taking posts for lookout of the Cad and the refugees, the unease among both groups never rose and diminished respectively. Also, Head Chief Ael adjusted to the fellow Head Chief and the three Chiefs who joined him. Adu might have trouble at the beginning of a relationship, but he’d learn to transition with ease, or this is what For believed, at least. Head Chief, Guj Imt, also acted more like a Chief than a Head Chief. He practiced under Head Chief Ked, as did the other Chiefs and the most prominent of pupils.

The Council met with Ael more often than the others, but only to constantly remind of his mind and his pride. It seemed redundant after a while when he’d become proud of his pupil’s improvement and seeing his seniors as peers but still respecting them as seniors. He easily found compromise on every front he hadn’t been met with until this fateful year. Reports indicated there to be no inclination for rebellion or mutiny among the Cad. Some of the refugees became more restless when most had found comfort in the growing ranks of their protectors. The GriiUdz, as they were informally called, were classified as farmers among the tribe, and mostly Grii had a problem with this. They would be rounded up quickly when they attempted to escape, and only words would be used to reprimand their actions.

It seemed Head Chief Imt demoted himself after months of integrating with the Wex. He did so with persistence, seeing his own shortcomings in respect to Head Chief Ked. Still, no one could train as long and hard as Ael. He was respected but still found a way in which to respect all others. And with such an influx of new tribespeople, he made it priority that he learn all their names, as he had for his own tribe and even for the refugees. They were astonished by his humility, since Head Chiefs wouldn’t learn the names of individuals they didn’t find worthy of knowing. His knowing each individual showed how he respected each person within the tribe, for they were a collective group seeking comfort and shelter within the group and for the group simultaneously.

Spoiler: Part 6

The WexOew had grown tremendously within the next year. With Ked’s eleventh and last child, a son named Ams, on the day Qok was christened as a man, the Wex had outnumbered the original OewCad population of adults. With the Wex and Cad complex growing around each other and becoming one in the same, the tribe had grown larger and idler since the merge. The southern portion was still known as the ‘Cad complex’ and the northern called the ‘Wex center.’ Igloos grew larger and deeper to accommodate larger families; much like their Head Chief was required to do. Any strife between the Cad and the Wex was largely silenced though the skeptical and paranoid still believed an intricate plan to be at work.

With months of ‘peace,’ the Warriors and Raiders (of the Cad and, consequently, seen as ‘lesser’) trained daily and never let up unless their Head Chief would. The exhaustive diligence of their idol was amazing but also tiring. Surprisingly, Head Chief Ked never looked down on those who needed rest. They’d become as strong as him if they worked as hard. The time between would depend on their own mind, not the body. The body was easily manipulated. If you didn’t try, it wouldn’t grow, but if you tried endlessly, it would grow and become powerful. This was philosophy of the Warriors and Raiders.

During a week of Ked’s meditation away from the tribe, as he did so every other month, aliens visited him during a blinding blizzard he sat within and with thin clothing. One seemed to be a lighter and smaller version of him while the others’ bodies were deformed and ugly. Regardless, Ked stood at their arrival from within an odd air kite that flew them to this location. He towered over the beings of impressive ancestral power, which he could feel almost immediately. They spoke to him in a tongue he could not understand until one of them held out a hand relayed the message they wished to communicate with him.

“We’re not here to harm you. I am Jedi Master Jusuina H’ajki. We noticed this planet remained unexplored and wished to change that. Please, what is your name?”

“Head Chief Ael Ked.” His voice was deep to the aliens and forceful, for Forceful.

“It is a pleasure to meet you. Now, what do you call yourself?” She took out a slab of rock that seemed to glow with writings only she could understand.

“I am not here for you to interrogate. You trespass on WexOew land. Leave now before I send you back to your ancestors.” His face remained stoic and serious. His body puffed up a little, clearly threatened by these individuals of unknown power and influence.

“Please, we’re not here to cause conflict. We wish to learn about you. May we meet elsewhere so we can speak with you?” She twisted her hand slightly toward him and he felt an odd sensation flow over his head. He recognized as ancestral influence.

“What was that?” he barked.

She took a step back. Never had she seen encountered one not trained in the Force and completely repel her Mind Trick. She tapped the screen of her datapad and looked back up at the large man. “It was nothing,” she lied.

Faster than either three of them could register, Ked’ hand smashed through the rock, shattering it completely and making the female alien flinch back. But she smirked something sinister, or was that the blizzard? “Please, Head Chief Ael Ked, we don’t want conflict, only information…”

“You will get nothing from me!” He shouted with a rage only stirred when he was harassed and disrespected so immediately. He leapt at the female, his fist to crash into her chest.

She used a strange power by pushing her open palm toward her, flinging him far away from her. It did not hurt and he landed easily onto the snow once more only to charge at the three. The one on the right, with numerous tendrils that sprouted from his head, met him with greater speed and held back Ked’s fist and then blocked the kick with his own shin. Several more strikes were effectively countered before the tendril-creature pushed Ked back in a similar manner the female had. Its black eyes produced no fear in Ked and he recovered faster this time punch through the barriers the being’s ancestors provided for him. Surprisingly, he succeeded and broke the being’s collar bone.

“Enough!” the female shouted, lifting Ked into the air, unable to attack them anymore. She had made the mental note that he showed greater strength than a trained Jedi and skilled enough to extend past his defenses.

After some ‘persuasion,’ Ked led the three aliens to his tribe to meet the Council. Their Head Chief looked emotionally defeated, and the tribespeople responded with a healthy level of fear for these aliens. They ended up scanning the entire records of their history before their disrespect became too much to bear. The female also learned that the entire population was beyond her ability to manipulate the mind. The Elders attacked these ‘Jedi’ and Ked joined in the conflict. Strange tools ignited from hilts and burned their skin and caused them pain. They responded by growing more aggressive, to which they cut in half one of the Wex Elders. Ael grew even more enraged and managed to disarm the fish ‘Jedi’ and use this tool against them, somehow adjusting easily to the weightlessness of the weapon.

He attacked the female erratically, the other, tendril-headed Jedi, having been beaten down. The fish was cut down when he was disarmed and the female continued to try and push her aggressors away but they kept coming. There were but a dozen there, but she was quickly overwhelmed. Once, Ked continued this use of ancestral power to lift him through the air and smash into the female’s arms and force her from the igloo. A wind erupted from her, pushing everyone back, and she used to time to gather the defeated Jedi and retreat quickly. But this didn’t come without mass resistance when the rest of the tribe learned what was going on.

She disappeared as did her presence. With it, the WexOew developed the first Oew village, declaring their stability despite weather, season, and migration of animals. The farmers were able to sustain the population during times of frost. Hunting would then cease until the Season of the Sun when meat would be the main course of meals. Life within the WexOew village was easy outside of the constant and strenuous training of Raiders and Warriors. The population continued to expand as did Head Chief’s responsibilities in organizing the curriculum and evaluating puils.

These magical beings from the sky united this community, something the Saq wasn’t planning on. Unknown at the time, this would be the cause of their defeat.

Spoiler: Volume V

Spoiler: Part 1

The metal cylinder remained in the Council chambers as a reminder of who to beware if they ever saw these sky creatures in the future. Their ancestral powers were great and impressive and something the Council had yet to see but they found no records of anything like it before. Ked told the Council how the female attempted to bend his mind which was clearly a failure seeing as he felt not kind of mental manipulation from her. Their own language was strange. Of course he’d never heard it before since the world had remained unmolested until this day. But now the village worked in tandem to become stronger; the village knowing beings from the sky were able to descend upon them. It was clear they weren’t of this world or culture since they were utterly disrespectful and ignorant, but others couldn’t help believe it was a sign that the merge of the tribes and the creation of a village enraged the spirits.

It was the last time Ked had chosen to meditate alone and still. He found he could achieve the same mindless clearing when he practiced open-handed techniques. He could feel each muscle he used throughout his body, how they stretched and shifted and flexed. Then he could feel the cool air over his skin as a response to his force. Eventually he could feel the immediate space around him and hear those around him. He could then feel their presences. Later, his mind became blank, one with the air and his ancestors. There were no whispers of doubt or shame anymore. There was no tribe to defend and no honor to protect. Nothingness while his body moved with strength and purpose. This took months to achieve at first, but soon he could do it a several minutes instead of several hours.

It was nice to get away at times. The social hierarchy had become confusing ever since the introduction of a new tribe. The Wex were considered superior to the Cad who were considered higher than the Farmers, or refugees. It had taken time to integrate the refugees into the compound. Now the Wex placed themselves higher than before, something the Wex Council warned against.

And this was another issue for the village. Council were only supposed to have ten Councilors and five Elders. Head Chief Ked was safe with his solitary position, having proven his worth for it already. But only four Chiefs were supposed to be below him. The issue lied directly with the Council and Board of Elders, which was a majority of Cad-born tribespeople. A sub-Council was made and the Cad Elders were re-classed as Wisemen. The extra Chief was excused due to the size of the village itself while a reinstatement of position was proposed a few months later which each group, the Cad and Wex, allowed to audition members originally not part of the Council or Elders’ Board. It was stressful to remain unbiased in the evaluation of each individual, but it seemed the new Wex Councilors and Elders were just as good as the original ones and easily filled the spots that were filled by the Cad.

Because of this, instead of denying the Cad of their hierarchy, they were re-classed, as they were before, but were responsible for the same duties as before. The sub-Council and Wisemen Board mirrored that of the Council and the Elders’ Board. The Cad Chiefs were renamed as Sheriffs, with the Head Sheriff being the once Head Chief of the Cad. Instead of merging the two tribes, it was found easier to keep them separate, though only for a time. The segregation was deemed unfit for the well-being of the community, the Cad believing a superiority complex from the Wex that needn’t be there. After months of this experiment, a Council of twelve members, six from each tribe, was created, leaving some without the once again. The Elders and Wisemen were also shaved of their numbers and merged.

While this rearrangement of the higher tiers of society stalled the process of erecting defenses and organizing troops, the Warriors and Raiders needed an identity within the foreign tribe as well. It was assumed that the Raiders were lesser to the Warriors, making the division of tiers easy to discern. However, movement from Raider to Warrior was a controversial topic. Reluctantly, a few Raiders were made into Warriors, but the idea of all men starting within the Raiders was hard for the Wex to digest at first. Compromise was met, or that’s what was believed. Still, all this compromise was difficult for the village to endure, but For told the Council “great change does not come with the slightest breeze of the first storm. It’s the blizzard that lasts throughout the season and levels all that we have created. We must wait and endure and adapt to change we have introduced to our village.”

Indeed, these changes only occurred because of the Wex allowing the Cad to join them. There were still no signs of well-planned attack on the Wex and faith was measured individually. Ked had to keep his mind on training the Warriors. He also privately trained his son, Qok, hoping he’d be able to skip the rank of Raider and immediately join the Warriors, where his father had fourteen years ago. Going between the Council, the Warriors, and his personal time, Ked was stretched to spend any extra time with his family. It seemed leave all unaffected since they were more used to his absence rather than his presence.

A new visitor made her way through the snow and into the village. She was astonished of what had become of the WexOew. It was discovered that she was an ambassador for the Saq tribe, Iyu. She confessed to the leaking of false information that led to the complete destruction of the UdzBikt by their hands. The Council had the same thought in killing this woman almost immediately, but they decided to prove that the WexOew were a tribe, no village, to not underestimate. “Please tell your Council that we do not appreciate all the strife the Saq have caused for us in the past years. We know you’ve assassinated the too-soon Head Chief’s grandsons and ones who persuaded the UdzBikt and the OxeGrii and NobGrii to attack us. If you want to fight us, do so to our face. Pawns are not honorable.”

Spoiler: Part 2

Adjustment was the larger part of anyone’s day, but the slight confusion soon became a comfort. The unknown of where one might stand the next day was both scary and exciting. Contentment fell upon the village, something Ked had never felt before, nor was he used to the sensation. He caused conflict, though friendly, whenever he could. This kept his mind busy while training his body and those he’d spar. For months he trained harder for no apparent reason. He felt something to come soon and prepared for a phantom threat while others raised their families and explored the makings of the first Oew village.

This wouldn’t last terribly long, however. The farmers began to whisper about the Grii, perhaps they missed their tribe and were trying to reunite themselves with their lost kin somehow, or they were truly concerned for an ambush on the village. The idea seemed foolish, to attempt a raid on a village known for their combat and had grown larger. Perhaps they believed contentment had befallen the village earlier creating a false sense of security through numbers. But to be so naïve and unaware of the current condition of one’s enemy condition was a failure of the Epicanthix as a whole. Surely something was amiss with these rumors, but they couldn’t go ignored.

Head Chief Ked organized a unit of Raiders with a few Warriors to occupy the NobGrii. Chief Imt would be left in charge while Ked would find out what was going on with the tribe they had made a treaty with. He knew the sight of a group of soldiers would be more than unsettling to the Grii, but something had to be done about this threat before it erupted. Since the threat was uncertain, lethal force was not necessary, of which the Council constantly reminded Ked. It was so he would keep an eye on his mind, which he picked up soon enough.

When they were spotted, a battle almost erupted right on the ridges between the Oew and the Grii territories. Head Chief Ked did well in settling both sides down and persuading the Grii Council to speak with him in the presence of his protect, which was what the men behind him were ordered for, and to break those orders would be dishonorable and cause or immediate punishment by Ked’s hands. They let him speak with their superiors and was capable of a civil discussion in spite of the prejudice against the Grii and Oew both. The Council, fearful of Ked’s fire, allowed them to occupy the tribe for a time and eventually discover that there was nothing going on with the Grii tribe that would cause concern for the Oew.

The Oew men returned to the village to witness the results of the horror sanctioned by Chief Imt and the Council. Ignorance had consumed them and they slaughtered many of the farmers, former Udz and Grii tribespeople. It was learned that they spread the rumors themselves in hopes that they’d be allowed their freedom, whether by force or otherwise. To lie for the sake of the self was condemnable and disrespectful to those who housed you. The Council stated that those who wished to leave could do so at the punishment of being labeled as an enemy and the threat of dying within the soon-to-be-coming blizzard of the Season of the Sun. These threats were not empty, either, for the week later the blizzard came is disrupted the village’s production.

“Instead of killing them for disservice, why not compromise with them? Discover what it is they want and issue a punishment worthy of the crime. We need those farmers, and now we’re down half the population of farms and must employ our own people to toil in the fields. You’ve hindered the progression of this tribe we’ve worked so hard to build.”

Interestingly, the Cad felt closer to the Wex after this incident, but the farmers feared them more than before. Of course, a relationship with both groups would require to grow positively at the same time, but the Council sacrificed one for the other, and the Council’s Head Chief called them out on it. This act in itself was condemnable, but the Council saw their err and the persuasion a confused Cad man influenced them. They apologized to the farmers and allowed for a vacation to be had for the rest of the season and the Cad and Wex were required to farm for the first time since the taking of slaves. It was an interesting compromise, and one that didn’t sit well with most Cad and Wex tribespeople, but it was a necessary action that needed to be taken for the sake of the sense of fairness and justice within the Oew village.

Spoiler: Part 3

Vii called her children to her and the four met for a short time. It had been years since they were gathered together. Vaab, the youngest, was nineteen now with Vei at twenty-five. Ael was twenty-seven at the time, making their mother only forty-two herself. She was still deep in her work training the women in healing and herbal techniques while discovering advanced techniques in her own time. “I brought you here in memory of the fallen within our family…Ose Ked…Odz…Oin…Vaq Ael…Olaa…Vlee....” This was the only time Ked shed a tear as he was forced to face the death of those killed too soon. He was responsible for the elopement of Vaq, which Vii knew, and he showed no remorse for the unfortunate circumstances that took Vlee.

They left with this blessing: “May the ancestors protect you when you need protection and take you when you need to be taken.”

Training increased after the Occupation of the NobGrii. They found the Saq ambassador among the Farmers, which had now gone back to work during the Season of the Moon. Ked killed her when he saw her and tried to run. Ked proposed the invasion of the Saq, which would require many elite members of the village and some of the junior members for scouting and to gather information. The Council approved of this action without question and the thirty men and ten boys set off to prove that no tribe could best the Oew. Ked and Chief Bav of the Cad led the charge into the deep south. Snowless Country was not known to the Oew, giving the immediate advantage to the Saq.

The SaqIyu knew of this invasion by some magical prophesy. Along the plains, raids took them by surprise during the night. Within the forests, several men were hung up. Once they reached the swamps, their numbers dwindled, losing ten along the journey. The sweaty men, unused to the heat of this land, marched into the bogs nearly naked and with eyes peeled. Finally they were met head on, assuming the Oew were tired from travel. But Ked passed on his knowledge of forcing the body to endure longer by calling upon the ancestors and by sheer willpower. Ked, himself, found it difficult to defeat these dexterous and mobile people, but they easily won the first of many skirmishes between the Oew and Saq.

It was clear that travelling so far with as many as they had wasn’t enough to persuade the Saq that they were out-skilled. In fact, the boys were unable to acquire any notable items about the Swamp people. They were elusive and worked with the fears of their opponents. This war was going to be tricky and difficult to win. The trip back to the north, they were met by much resistance. They acted like those of other tribes but looked too much like the Saq for Head Chief Ked to be fooled. They played on the natural predation of the Oew to throw them off and confuse them. That would happen no longer and efforts to smite out rumors and insecurities was the first duty of the Council. The lines between the Cad and Wex further blurred as the village united against their opressors.

Spoiler: Part 4

The expert tactics brought back half the men they left with, more than was expected when the Council assumed they lose each man, even Ked. But they also hoped for the extermination of the Saq vermin. The information gathered wasn’t enough for the threat to continue with any further sense of security among the tribe. Ked did his best to keep morale up, but defense was not the way of the Oew, but they were forced into a defense for the time. Tactics needed to be drawn up, to which each Chief contributed. Methods of combat had to be introduced to compensate for the Saq’s speed and agility. This enemy was far more skilled than any they’ve encountered before.

During this turmoil, Qok was awarded the rank of Warrior, regardless of his age. He proved himself, much like his father had, but many were still upset as the rank of Raider had become more of an aged rank than that of skill. But with the private training administered by his father, he was just as capable as the junior members of the Warriors, as was expected in order to become one. Still, the thirteen-year old needed to prove his self constantly. His father warned him that this would happen, but the boy was still discouraged that others didn’t approve of his rank. A few times he had to be reminded that he was just as capable as those men, and that he was a man of equal value.

This would be tested when the Saq raided the village. They had skill in raiding others larger and more skilled than themselves. They certainly succeeded in killing many tribespeople, but each Saq Muck was killed off. Their plan to cause an uproar by trapping a child in a spike-filled pit worked at first. Luring the people out slowly, they could pick off many who slumbered in the night. The guards were picked off, unaware of the silence that fell over the village before the Saq acted. Fortunately, they were easily found and overwhelmed. Some were even captured and taken in for interrogation. Unfortunately, they bit off their own tongues, unable to be forced to speak and worthless to them only to be executed right there.

The response was quick and definitive. Two score of Warriors and a score of Raiders were deported into the Snowless Country once more. Halfway to the bogs of the Iyu, they were ambushed by the Saq and taken by surprise. Their numbers were cut in half, but the Saq were, once again, killed completely. They couldn’t have had much left in them, being merely a tribe of peoples. Hopefully they hadn’t found alliance with other tribes, though they were notorious for being backstabbers, so this was unlikely. Still, Qok was sent back by Head Chief Ked to report that everyone but Guards, Farmers, and children by sent to the Swamps to show their superiority and endurance to a foreign enemy.

The battle was short, as was intended. Many from the WexOew were left dead in the swamps, but Ael finally released his ire onto the tribe and scorched it to the mud. The Healers and Herbalists received the greatest casualties, as the IyuSaq knew them to be the weakest and the most valuable to the Oew more immediately. One of these was Vii, one of the more accomplished healers. Vei attempted to sustain her, but it was a failure. Ked fell to his knees, his heart defeated by this loss. But they wouldn’t be prepared for what they were met with when they returned to the village, if they could still call themselves such.

Many of the guards had been slaughtered while the Farmers recounted their efforts to rid the Saq assassins. The assassins were only discovered as the bodies of the Council and Board of Elders was found. The children seemed unharmed. It was clear the Saq wanted to cripple the ‘first Oew tribe’ as they admitted defeat. What they couldn’t have foreseen was the sense of community throughout the Otherborns. The farmers understood their place within the tribe and Cad sect understood themselves first as Wex and then as Cad. Many children were left orphaned, but the strong sense of community remained and families were forced to grow while workloads for individuals increased. Whatever it took to keep the WexOew together and united would mean nothing would be able to disrupt their reign upon the north pole.

Spoiler: Volume VI

Spoiler: Part 1

Snowflakes hovered in the sky. The still cold air kept the crystalized vapors aloft and carried them toward the sky. This was an old sign of spirits and thoughts of the dead reaching the heavens. This was what Vei claimed to remember of her mother and grandmother, at least. Ked took it as a sign of keeping still so one could mourn. But with children without mothers or fathers and the hierarchy of leadership entirely taken down, there was little time to reflect and mourn those who fought valiantly to protect their homes and legacies. He, personally, went to the remnants of the families of those which protected his children after learning who had done so by studying the faces that lay around them. The snow was red and pink and turning brown. Hopefully a blizzard would come through and white it all out.

He certainly wasn’t the oldest remaining tribesman, but Ked held the highest position as well as the highest lineage among those still living. Some might have been connected to the Lady Elder by some roundabout way, but those children could not readily recall these stories and any documents showed no sign of their blood being similar. Still, Ked held the respect of those within the village. Even the Cad slaves looked to the twenty-nine year old as to what they should do. It wasn’t long until they came up with a term which closely relates to the Basic word “King.” Qok was deemed the Queen, though held much less weight in her decisions due to her meek and mild demeanor. Only because he was the oldest of the Ked bloodline could he say himself above Vei and Vaab, who took the roles of Princesses.

There was a collective effort to rule the diminished WexOew tribe. They all had their roles which fit them well enough. Ked resumed his role of trainer and leader of the Raiders and Warriors. Even the youngest boys were urged to train, though there was little hesitation from any party for them to do so. Vei passed on what she knew and remembered from her mother and grandmother while attempting to perfect more delicate procedures she’d yet to study. Vaab aided Qok in teaching the lore and history any of them could still recall and teach lessons of geography and etiquette which would be most beneficial. The Farmers became known as Builders and, eventually, architects and held some standing among castes. They organized and constructed new housing developments and a castle of sorts for their new patriarchal monarchy.

In spite of the drastic cut in numbers, the WexOew kept a formidable face among them. Word quickly spread among the remaining Oew tribes of the Wex’s struggles against secession and their victory against both the Grii and the Udz. They had not yet been informed of their current fall to the Saq tribes, though it was a technical victory. Even still, the size of the Wex or Cad, separately, was only slightly less than the other existing Oew tribes. Most of the attraction was due to the fact that one tribe took over the other and managed to create a functioning village. During the year, even as reconstruction of the village had just begun, representatives from the other tribes held meetings with the “King.” This societally-gifted position was shocking to the representatives but only fed their wonder and awe over the matter of the relationship between the Wex and Cad.

These representatives even took the time to survey much of the population remaining of the village and found a sense of community and responsibility toward each other regardless of one’s history of “enslavement.” This type of enslavement, though not unlike most types, seemed more comfortable under the Wex than they would have initially assumed. Whatever this was, it worked. The ambassadors recorded their findings reported back to their respective tribes only to return with their entire tribe behind them. They had been beaten and broken but stood strong upon the north pole of Panatha and none could dispute their resolve and diligence through such difficult hardships.

The WexOew, OewCad, OewAbx, EftiOew, and OewGnur had now combined and formed the Oew Kingdom. Under the rule of King Ked, the snows of the north swirled and floated toward the heavens. Settlements were being made faster than others could form boundaries between themselves and others. These boundaries were, more or less, habitual and King Ked would rule integration of people much like the Cad were which resulted in a victory against far-off enemies. Needless to say, Ked’s responsibilities only multiplied but he somehow kept the WexCad military stable while delegating with the other councils of Elders. All were skeptical of this man and his abilities to lead five different tribes. Time would only prove his ability to rule.

Spoiler: Part 2

A new caste system was founded, it seemed. Though each tribe had their fair share of any role, it seemed each had more than one than the others. It was a colloquial caste, one that was assumed and socially accepted should you not fit immediately into it. The Wex filled the upper echelon of the military known as the Warriors and Healers. The Cad filled the lower level of the military with their Raiders. The Abx were the educators and regulators of rules and deliverer of messages. The Efti continued their efforts in herbology and taught Herbalists special alchemical principles of plants and minerals. The Gnur held most political positions and knew much more of the world and its characteristics than the other tribes. Their scrolls and scripts heavily aided the decisions to be made among allied or enemy tribes.

It would take a decade, but these differences in tribes would soon only become labels for people to fall under certain duties. At the current state of things, Ked found it difficult to deliberate between the vastly different Oew councils. Vei seemed to have a way with words which Ked did not. She was able to strike a balance between procedures to be taken for whatever rites to be performed throughout the newly-formed Kingdom. Ked found the whole thing trivial and not beneficial toward the development of the colony. He was relieved to have someone more capable than himself at dealing with such emotionally-based items.

By the end of the year, during the season of the Moon, Vei sensed a familiar presence. Somehow, Ked knew it might have been more of those aliens that tried to evaluate their race and then capture Ked, to which the village banded together to protect themselves and the Head Chief. The relic from that fight, something Ked never bothered to learn of it. The same female who had invaded their territory with two others walked through the blizzard largely unaffected. This was strange seeing as the Oew, themselves, too shelter from such storms. Was she some kind of malevolent ancestor or was she truly from a different world? Regardless, she was escorted by a team of Cad Raiders and Abx Messengers. The councils would not be allowed to see the being or Ked could not be allowed her to attempt a disruption like last time.

“Why do you return?” His tone was short and his consonants were hard.

“I wish to speak with you, King Ked.” Her voice was unhindered by the obvious hostility toward her. She seemed to have not aged a day. It had been more than six years since that day and she looked quite the same.

“What do you wish to relay?” He wanted her gone but was still curious as to why she’d venture to speak to him personally.

“You showed tremendous talent within the Force.” The word, said in Basic, caused him to flinch slightly. “It’s what you seem to call ‘your ancestors.’”

“Why descend to me to speak of religion?”

“Ah, yes. Well, I would like to present you to the Jedi Council. You are immune to my ability to evaluate the mind and show a deep power few possess. If you need proof that I am of no harm, I have disarmed myself to your Raiders.”

“You learn quickly. How do you come to know the unspoken?” He changed the subject, but rightfully so. She’d called him “King Ked” and named the “Raiders” colloquially enough to seem akin to his culture.

“Oh, I can understand any language almost immediately. Through the Force, I can learn your language as it’s spoken to me.” She seemed to be bragging. He couldn’t tell, though. “I see you’ve kept N’jial’s lightsaber,” she commented off-handedly with a smirk and a giggle. “Have you practiced with it?”

“I don’t tempt the heavens.”

She took a minute to understand this but figured he must have thought her to be from “the heavens.” “I am not from the Heavens,” she said with more importance than he would have. “I am from a distant planet called ‘Alpheridies.’ I am ‘Miralukan.’”She paused before the Basic words. “From what we’ve researched of the Epicanthix, they used to be a prestigious race. I’m surprised to see them reduced to this style of living.”

“You speak in length and offense. Please state what you must and I will see you back to your ‘world.’” His eyes narrowed and his volume decreased. It was exhausting to deal with such foreign issues.

“Duel me. Let me show you what I mean.” She tried to match his demeanor.

There was no formality to duels. Should one wish a fight, they would get one no matter the location. She obliged to a hand-to-hand duel, for she had surrendered her lightsaber to them. Regardless of this, she seemed unaffected by being unarmed. Her movements countered Ked’s relentless offense as she did not underestimate the man or that power that came when they fought together. But he wasn’t showing all he’d learned in the past six years. All he grasped was the tip of her finger, but it snapped and he eventually got hold of her wrist and flung her into the wall. Something cracked, perhaps the spear she landed on.

A chuckle escaped her shortly as she lay on the floor. More cracks were heard and she was soon up on her feet again. “With the Force, I can fix broken bones and mend severed arteries.” He’d noticed a strong swirl of ancestral energy about her at that time. It was powerful, whatever it was. He charged her as quickly as she rose, but she twisted the rod of the spear around his arm and snapped it to the side, throwing his balance off and almost dislocating his shoulder. The weapon somehow floated into her grasp. Was this more of her “Force”?

The wooden shaft then smashed down into the icy floor, turning it to snow and disrupting his eyesight toward the weapon. It lunged into his abdomen and split apart as he stiffened his midsection to repel the attack. This ancestral power than lifted him from the floor and flung him against a wall much like he had a few seconds earlier. He threw a knife at her which she stopped midway to repulse it back toward him. He snatched it from the air and threw it back right before another dagger spun toward her. She had to leap back and dodge them which let Ked gain distance between them. His fist hurled toward her chest and her hand rose to keep it back with the use of the Force. They both stood there, pushing against each other before Ked attempted to trip her with a swift kick, but she jumped back whipped up a gale that spun him around and crash through a window.

Ked didn’t order for the assistance to protect him, and because of this, no one rushed to his aid. They only watched intently at their King in an apparent duel with this alien. His shirt had torn a bit but there was not a scratch on him. The female leapt from the window pushed down on him and deeper into the soft snow revealing hints of dirt that the Oew didn’t care to see upon their landscapes. Snow bellowed up and created a blizzard around the two. She kept her distance from the man only to focus and lift him into the air. She knew she couldn’t beat down the man outright, but he could disable him more than effectively. He couldn’t feel the ancestral energy anymore, as if she was hiding it. Perhaps she only allowed him to feel it before.

“I want to train you in the way of the Jedi. With this training, you can protect your people far better than you can now.”

“I cannot leave my people.”

“You’ve experienced a time of peace like none before. You have people of great experience and reliability. I can see the future. The future of the Oew Kingdom is long and prosperous. You know I’m right.”

He didn’t know, but he could feel it. It was a strange sensation. “When must I leave?”

“As soon as you are comfortable to do so.” She lowered his body onto the hard black earth. The snow had yet to settle upon it.

This sudden change in heart was strange but perhaps he could learn something about this apparent enemy and possibly gain some advantage in furthering his Kingdom. She had to have some sort of technology or influence which allowed her to travel beyond heavens. “Oh, and I have this,” she said, interrupting Ked’s plots to betray her. It was a square of metal upon it a blue screen.

“What is this?”

“It’s called a ‘datapad.’ I’ve taken and organized all the information I scanned the first time I visited here. I’m sure you would like it back.”

He looked at it quizzically but she showed him how to operate it by touch. “I will meet you outside the Kingdom, then.” The winds had stopped and the blizzard had passed.

He spent the next few hours recalling the events which occurred and his intents to learn from the creature who offered to teach him. He genuinely could not sense anything dishonest about her, but he also wasn’t the most intuitive person. Vei met with the woman as Ked spoke with his wife and children, explaining where he was going and what his intents were. She reported back affirming Ked’s initial evaluation. Like many of the Warriors, he learned more of a person by interacting with them and even fighting them.

Vaab knew she’d have to keep the councils in line, but she knew Vei would do a fine enough job. Ked was off. They wouldn’t know for how long or if he’d survive. Ked and the female traveled far through the snow. A day passed where neither of them rested or ate before they reached her ship. She had to explain to him best she could what the structure was. Needless to say, he was hesitant to board the small shuttle. Somehow, the trip there made him mellow out. He didn’t show any signs of aggression but she also couldn’t read his mind and learn if he was planning to kill her. All she could do was trust in the Force.

The trip to Tython was easy in respects to travelling for the first time in something so strange as a ship that flies through the blackness of the heavens. He couldn’t help but become sick a few times, but after a week of travel he was accustomed to the sensations of flight.

The planet was a jungle but full of an ancestral energy he’d never felt before. “That’s the Force,” she tried to explain to him but he wouldn’t come to terms with such a blasphemous idea. People of all shapes and sizes interacted with each other and performed tricks and meditated. They sparred with each other in a most civilized manner that Ked could not recognize as “sparring.” They bowed to her, speaking in a tongue he could not understand that also came from the terminal before they landed upon the planet. The idea of being on another planet was a lot to take in, itself. The rest only numbed him.

Spoiler: Part 3

They all spoke in Basic, of which he had no knowledge. Many bowed to her as she passed them. They looked upon him with kindness and a welcoming air which angered him. How could they allow an invader such as him with so much respect? Further still, she showed a kindness and understanding not indicative of the female which killed one of his councilors. She kept the large man informed as to what was happening around him. She interpreted, as best she could, what others were saying and described the goings-on throughout the temple. All he could do was remain silent and absorb it all as quickly as possible. The technology mixed with the strong forces of nature was intriguing. The advanced stonework of the temple itself was amazing. Inside, it no longer held the stony exterior but showed a sleek and refined interior.

He almost phased out Master Jusuina, as she said he should call her now. They walked through the corridors and eventually made their way to a large room with five other individuals much older than himself. They reminded him of his own council, but they wore garbs indicative of Fiv or Tox villages. They were also very strange beings. The meeting lasted almost an hour, but he felt it was only five minutes as he observed his surroundings. They did not address him directly for Master Jusuina told them it would only overwhelm the galactically-unaware Epicanthix. Of course, Ked would have stayed attentive to what was going on should he be required to do so, but Master Jusuina told him to observe all he could while they were there.

This alien she brought them had killed a Jedi and had an untamed temperament. But she convinced them that she had not learned of their culture and, seemingly, insulted them several times and unwittingly provoked them into attacking them. Their fault came in defending themselves in an aggressive manner. She explained that the actions of the Padawans she took with him were not experienced enough to understand that an outburst they had experienced was likely among those unaware of a larger universe. Though she was advised not to investigate the world further, she disobeyed but managed to return to them a being talented in the Force.

They agreed that she’d watch him closely, which wasn’t difficult for she was the only one to explain to him what everything was. She performed evaluations on him and learned more of his culture and his personal past. It was agreed that he’d learn of her culture and her beliefs. He didn’t anticipate actually trying to learn it, however. The philosophies and Codes intrigued him and even began to learn Basic because of it. Never had he showed an academic interest in anything, but this seemed to connect to his inherent need for a community with and for which to protect. Throughout the next two years he would learn the Codes and philosophies and Paths of the Jedi. They were still a society outside himself. He was not a Jedi. But it was certainly attractive.

Spoiler: Part 4

Of course he wanted a sense of community, but the Jedi practiced one so broad that it put trust in everything within the galaxy. Learning the philosophies and Codes was one thing, but to apply them would go against his instincts for he was always wary of others. The old Code seemed foolish and naïve to him. The newer Code was lofty and righteous, which was a turn-off. The oldest Code, however, he found a connection to. He felt at peace with his emotions. He knew what he did not know. He found serenity in his passion through training to protect his kingdom. He found peace within chaos. If the Force was his ancestors, then that line would be more than viable. The Eightfold Path was interesting but seemed frivolous to him. Meditation did not suit him in the least bit, at least initially.

Master Jusuina taught Ked the art of Moving Mediation. He caught on quickly when he defined his own definition of “meditation.” Of course he was far less effective in utilizing its uses than his “Master,” but it would be useful on the field. She continued to teach him about the Force, though, and he grew to understand it more as his ancestors, but also the ancestors of all sentient life throughout the galaxy. Who else would be able to see so much and be capable of allowing others to perform such feats? It can’t be a trans-sentient existence. That made no logical sense. She could not know of his rejection of these philosophies, however, and continued to evaluate what it was he showed talent for and train him in those disciplines.

She taught him the inner workings of Reviatlize, Heal Self, and Force Body. It was initially difficult for him when he attempted to apply the knowledge of being able to control his ancestors’ powers in such a commanding way. It never took long for him to grasp the subjects. The one she found most surprising with Pyrokinesis. She didn’t delve too deeply into this subject for it brought out his wrath and ire too intimately and she advised against using it too often. Calling her Master Jusuina only became habitual because he’d begun to feel a sense of attachment to her. She was teaching him so much and increasing his effectiveness on the battlefield that he couldn’t help but believe her to be a kind of mentor to him.

She wanted to study how he’d respond to learning something he didn’t have the inherent talent for. Force Absorb was a highly ranked ability that was only taught to Knights. But Ked wasn’t even a Jedi, technically, and she decided he wouldn’t be able to perform the technique. Surprisingly, he learned how to take in more “ancestral” energy from others. It was minimal and came with great effort over a lengthy period of time, but it was a measurable progress she hadn’t expected to see in him. She thanked him genuinely as he did her when she was called upon to conduct a delegation with the Council and he would be sent back to Panatha with a different escort. His knowledge of Basic was bare, but he managed to hold a short conversation with the pilot who seemed to enjoy watching the man’s effort to speak their language.

Spoiler: Volume VII

Spoiler: Part 1

It was good to be back upon the snow where he’d spent all of his life until now. The two years away from his home were too long. He took a deep breath and spent a week to walk through the blizzarding pole back to his Kingdom. Somehow he knew exactly which way to travel. He had no doubts that it was still standing. His sisters and wife were too strong to allow what they helped create to fall apart. He also held much trust in his Head Chiefs to maintain the peace and dedication to keeping together the Oew people. The snow was as soft as ever and the cold seemed more comforting than usual. His training seemed to enhance his ability to endure the utter lack of heat upon the pole.

He was welcomed grandly. It seemed they knew he’d be back, or they were anticipating over the past two years. Either way, his family gathered around him and showed him emotions they weren’t used to expressing. Perhaps the way in which he left was cause for such a change in character from the population. His position might also have had something to do with it. He cared little for the attention but was eager to learn all that had progressed among his children and throughout the Kingdom. The oldest four had married and started their families while his oldest two had become a Chief and Medicine Woman, respectively. The others were well on their way to following similar paths, it seemed.

Sectors had been set up based on the original tribes. The center held the Wex sector with the Cad directly southwest and northwest with both their military centers and farm houses. To the north and east stretched the Gnur and their political buildings. The councils had become Councils, united under the umbrella Oew. They focused on their own specialties that came with their original tribes. Organization was found under the rule Princess Vei and not so much Queen Qok, though she still contributed her fair share of influence over the Kingdom. To the southeast was the Abx sector with their education and law centers. Further south was the Efti sector where herbs were more easily maintained. Laboratories were erected to further the study of healing and herbology.

A few months after Ked’s return, raids tested the unity of the Kingdom. Reports indicated the Fiv were attempting to raid the Gnur and Efti sectors. Simple tactics resulted in simple results: the complete defeat of the invaders. It was strange, though, for Ked to be on the end of an attack and be unsure as how to exactly go about responding to such aggression. His fist decision was to increase security and sentry efforts while increasing the training regiment of Warriors and Raiders as well as Healers. Whispers from the Council voiced an offensive effort against the Fiv’s small raiding efforts before they gained too much information. Ked wasn’t completely comfortable in killing them outright. Perhaps the Jedi training affected his mind more than he believed. His wife and sister spent a considerable amount of time and effort to push him into making a decision.

His mind seemed to snap from the boorish Jedi teaching and he immediately commanded for the Raiders to seek out exactly where these Fiv were originating. After a few months of investigation, the Warriors were dispatched to occupy these tribes under the orders to protect ambassadors of the Oew Kingdom who delegated with the Fiv tribes. It only took a week before word returned of the surrender and contract with the Fiv declaring neutrality. Should they violate the contract, the Oew would invade and raise the tribe. In the meantime, a period of occupation occurred that would keep Warriors within the tribe and observe the actions of the Fiv. And with these aggressive though necessary actions, the Last Northern War ended.

Still, many casualties were had on either side. Of course the percentage was much smaller for his Kingdom; he felt some kind of remorse for those killed under his rule. There seemed to be no wavering amongst the citizens, however, but the Council was still gossiping about their King’s inability to react quickly since returning from the Jedi. He convinced them that the Jedi’s teaching had clouded his judgement and that his eventual decision was swift and efficient as well as effective. They could not argue with this and relented their efforts to usurp partial power from the royalty in the case that this would place them in jeopardy.

Spoiler: Part 2

Construction continued. Walls were built and buildings were erected. Growth of the Kingdom was daily visible. If Ked wasn’t so busy, he’d be able to take the time and take pride in what he and his family had accomplished from tragedy. He’d often take the time to watch the snow hover across the ground and then finally settle. It no longer filled him with sorrow or regret that spirits and thoughts lingered here. It was comfortable and safe. His efforts and those of his sisters made Oew Kingdom to thrive and prosper. Hardly a fourth of his life had been lived and he’d been able to achieve a peace foreign to this planet. Looking back, it was surreal.

Of course there were still aggressors. The Saq had learned not to tempt the Oew, and a united Oew would hold disaster for them. The Grii had been destroyed and held a treaty with them as well as the Fiv. The Udz usually kept to themselves and posed no threat to them. But a new aggressor appeared at their half-built walls. The ice shattered and the dense snow was torn away quickly by the powerful Krik. Most people in the Kingdom had never seen a Krik before, including Ked. The raiders reported a score of soldiers on their side and they were easily pushed back and held at bay by the Warriors. There wasn’t a messenger among them and all were fiercely loyal to their village. None were left alive as Ked held a care enough to not make them slaves for him.

But attacks continued. The same wall from the same amount of soldiers, or Crashers, as they seemed to call themselves, would crumble. The builders could hardly keep up and the Council proposed more aggressive tactics once again before things got out of hand. But Ked was preparing a special force of Battlers that he wanted to test on the Krik and, of which his eldest son, Qok, would be its leader. The nineteen year-old showed better leadership and organizational skills than actual combat, but that was the perfect fit for the leader of an elite force which acted both as Raiders and Warriors. As was the purpose of the Battles, they could win a battle themselves. Ked’s intention of this new sect was for the defenses of the Kingdom to remain while they fought across long distances.

Currently, the Battlers held a mixed group of the best Raiders who were trained as Warriors and vice versa before they were dispatched to confront the Krik. What was unheard of was training Healers to be Raiders and Warriors to be Healers. Ked would not join them for his duties piled upon his desk and their Kingdom wished to keep their King within its walls as long as possible. He held no fear that the Battlers would be successful, but he wished fiercely that he could be there to watch his son lead a regiment himself. When they returned a month later, Ked’s men had proved themselves more than capable of dealing with a rogue village. It seemed the Krik had been forced to move away from their native land and now held a settlement within Oew territory. Casualties were had by the Krik but they were convinced to continue searching for safer lands.

What was unintended was for the Krik to have dispatched a much larger force that evaded the Battlers altogether and managed to breach the walls and actually cause some aesthetic damage to the Kingdom. It came from a different location along the wall, which was unexpected. Still, the Warriors performed as they were trained and each Krik soldier died before killing one Oew. Both the Krik and the Oew were known for their impressive strength, but the Oew were in their native environment. Against a united people, victory was eminent for the Kingdom. Some of the Council argued against killing the distant Krik before they could take their intelligence and attack them more successfully because they knew they were known for their cunning as well as their strength.

The Councilors were right and the entire tribe, as that is what the Krik were reduced to, infiltrated the walls without a sound and started their raids upon the Oew Kingdom. Of course the numerous initial attacks upon the walls were but a ruse. They attempted a raid upon the castle, but Ked would not allow such a thing. Fire erupted from the ground upon which they stood and melted much of the snow. They burned horribly, but were still alive. This was the best he could do from afar until the Raiders and Warriors arrived to kill them off. From this day forward, the Krik would be known to the Oew as enemies. The King felt an odd sensation, close to guilt, for torturing those men, women, and children. He was conditioned for such and it was expected on their side as well. So much death.

Spoiler: Part 3

“Are you aware of any of these experiments? You were the last to witness the Jedi Master Jusuina and she was last seen speaking to you and teaching you the ways of the Jedi. Tell us, what has she revealed to you?”

Another Jedi had made their way to Panatha by some odd happenstance. Of course the being was welcomed but he relayed some kind of air of suspicion and disappointment. He couldn’t place it but he was needed at one of the Jedi “Temples.” He obliged, of course, as was his duty to help them since they took the liberty of training him in his knowledge of the ancestors. Unfortunately, he’d ceased to practice Basic, unlike his dedication to his talents. It took him a few minute to process their words and understand the translator who still took too long to speak.

“I am unaware of these experiments. She only taught my ancestral powers.” His voice was flat and stern. They thought him insulting them or a very good liar.

“Why did she choose you to become her apprentice? What was her reason for teaching you about the Force?”

“I don’t understand the question.” Instead of saying “you speak too long,” he would just choose not to understand what they said.

“Did she tell you why she trained you?”

“No.”

Why would he lie? He was detached from the outside galaxy. He still didn’t understand the idea of the Force. She did well to keep him so in the dark. But perhaps she picked him because she knew even the Council wouldn’t be able to read his mind. But to be so suspicious of this man held little use for them. He was dismissed as they knew he was running a Kingdom on his home planet and that was where he wanted to remain.

He didn’t know if they still considered him a Jedi. It mattered little because all that concerned him was his Kingdom. Over these two years, he’d easily let up on following any of the edicts of the Jedi. Of course he still knew them by heart. In fact, he’d learned to record a datapad with the information. Further still, he practiced in secret with the lightsaber he’d taken before slaying those Jedi who’d invaded his home and dishonored them all. Master Jusuina was ignorant and foolish. Whatever she had done, he felt no obligation to investigate. It was clear he cared little for the exiled Jedi Master, which was reason enough to let him return.

Spoiler: Part 4

Thanks to Vei, the organization of tasks was clear and obvious among the sectors. Of course, this would still cause turmoil on the more traditional of the Oew. Ked could not blame them and often testified upon their behalf to the Council who would hear complaints and testimonies before they reached the King. Exceptions were being made and laws were being passed daily as the new government was building as quickly as its infrastructure. The ice and snow buildings shone brightly during the season of the Moon and appeared translucent during the season of the Sun. It was a spectacular sight, but other villages and tribes would show disgust should they not know what happens to those who oppose the Oew.

It became more evident that Vei held a greater diplomatic understanding of government than the Queen. Of course the Epicant word for “Princess” was “lower” than Queen. But they were uncommon words to use and thus their definitions were still unclear. Not only did Qok show a dislike for governance, she resented Ked for creating an empire, of sorts, that she was on top of. Never did she wish to become royalty or powerful. She always knew Ked to be great and worthy, but she hoped to stay in the background as a support and provider of children when she wasn’t practicing the healing arts that Vei perfected and expanded upon. It wasn’t long until the term “Queen” had fallen to a term for “the spouse of the leader.”

It was decided that Vei would have executive powers should Ked be called off-world again. Ked nor the Council could argue. This would not occur for another five years, however.

Spoiler: Part 5

Of course it was an eventuality that he would be called upon by the Jedi Order. Ked was unaware, but they needed to evaluate his skills and stability within the Force. They wanted to test his mental strength and ability to follow the Code. Even when a fellow Jedi told him to keep in mind the Codes and philosophies of the Order while on the mission. He could spit them out as well as any other youngling, but to follow and practice them took dedication and understanding which he’d never bothered to delve into. After the interrogation from the Council, he took the time to practice on his Basic more so he could communicate without the aid of translators or the Force. He was not a dumb brute, though he certainly acted like it.

He wore his usual Oew garments of thin leather. He had no need for the fur common among their people for his inherent skill in Tapas negated the need to keep warm within the arctic. Standing next to him, the much younger Jedi Knight could feel intense warmth radiating from Ked who started to sweat just by walking. Obviously there was no control and they worked on this during the trip to Coruscant. Ked thanked the boy for his teachings and knew to respect his junior for he would certainly be lost without him. The Knight also noticed that the “Jedi” didn’t even have a training lightsaber, ignorant of the fact Ked had killed a Jedi before he was even born. Stories weren’t shared between them since Ked was keen on focusing on their task.

He was entirely uncomfortable on Coruscant. Not once did the terms “impressive” or “magnificent” crossed his mind. Unlike Tython, nature had been completely taken over and the world was polluted with sentient life. It was ugly and offensive to him. How could people live in such a manner? The Knight was quite excited to visit Coruscant, it seemed. They had little in common. The “little man,” as Ked would call him at his most respectful point, held knowledge of things Ked hadn’t bothered to even imagine. Ked was more than eager to keep it as such.

The two of them alone managed to take out a portion of a large drug cartel by themselves. Of course, the Jedi Knight helped in locating and tracking the center of operations. Ked, in his showy and brutish style, managed the rest on his own. Without a lightsaber, he dodged blaster bullets by using others as shields and using what little stealth he had after creating a ruckus. He destroyed machinery with his hands and body. It was messy, but the task was accomplished and the lightsabers they had stolen were returned to their owners. He was gifted one that no longer had an owner for his accomplishments and being able to contain his barbaric tendencies during the mission, whatever that meant.

Not long after he was called for another mission. It was unexpected, both by the Council and by Ked. But reports of a powerful Dark Jedi had surfaced and her prowess with controlling the minds and actions of others were troublesome enough to see if the reports of his race were true and test his resistance to mental manipulation. Now with a lightsaber, the Jedi Knight decided to teach Ked the disciplines of Soresu. It was clear he was heavily inclined to learn Vaapad, a dangerous technique. Hopefully instilling so focus and stillness would do well to calm his emotions, not that he could sense them from Ked. Ked was obviously resistant to learn but found some uses for the technique. He wasn’t one to disregard something because he didn’t like it, especially if he understood the value.

Everyone was shocked to find out that the exiled Jedi Master was the Dark Jedi. The Jedi Knight was quickly defeated and killed right before Ked. The ex-Jedi Master hadn’t even lifted a muscle and showed signs of deceit. Ked was not ignorant of such tactics, but what enraged him was the “truth” she revealed to Ked. She had used him to learn of his species and would use him against the Jedi once she figured a way to take over his mind. Everything had a weakness, a hole. She would find his and exploit it. Months passed as he scoured the planet for the Dark Jedi until she believed to be in possession of a power strong enough to break through his species resistance to her apparent strength.

She engaged him in a lightsaber duel. She was clearly toying with him as he forced him to use Soresu, a form he’d just learned but showed enough ability in to be adept in the Form. His hand-to-hand knowledge and his skills in training with weapons paid off greatly in being able to keep up with the Jedi Master’s abilities. She continued to push him, more skilled than he could have ever assumed. But everything she did would not allow her to invade his mind. His ancestors repelled her attempts to read his thoughts and emotions, never mind take grasp and manipulate them to gain control over him. She grew enraged herself and spat profanities at him and attempted to weaken his mind by instigating the feral side of him. But what none of them understood was he was quite in control of his emotions.

Vaapad would fit him nicely if he bothered to study it. The Dark Jedi’s finesse plummeted and she flailed her lightsaber around with impressive strength, but nowhere near Ked’s. A quick counter and a sweeping slash left her a parapalegic and crying in agony and soon passed out upon the forest floor. This solidified his philosophy of never underestimating an opponent. He carried her over his shoulder and onto a Jedi shuttle which would take her back to Coruscant and into detention. Ked skipped the meetings and briefings and headed straight toward Panatha after acquiring a YZ-900 light freighter that was being held in custody by the Order but had no apparent owner. Defeating a Dark Jedi and being the only one to attest to the Jedi Knight’s death and proving his dedication to the Order, it was an easy gift to give from the Jedi.

Spoiler: Volume VIII

Spoiler: Part 1

He’d somehow learned enough about flying spacecraft on the few times he was on them to take the YZ-900 back to Panatha by himself. The Oew ended up making a landing pad for him on the castle after a large celebration of his return once more. Relations between the former tribes of the Oew had eased their traditional views and most children born into the Kingdom made up most of the population. Education helped tremendously in keeping things like prejudice and segregation outside the minds of the citizens. Still Ked would catch one of the Councilors using the terms Cad or Efti in a derogatory manner. It was quickly and harshly corrected, however, but the Elder seemed to hold onto their ideals of seclusion more tightly than others. “What we seek is safety and protection, not isolation and close-mindedness.”

It seemed he was increasingly influenced by the way Basic speakers spoke. The odd looks he was given after his speech, however, made him realize just what it was he was doing and how much he’d actually changed. This wasn’t a bad thing in itself, of course, but he felt he was betraying his people. What betrayed them more, however, were his constant departures from the world. Soon he was called to a barracks on a far-off world. Vei wasn’t so much tiring by becoming the executive head so often. In reality, she had a difficult time surrendering her influence to her older brother the more times he was gone. Ked believed it better for everyone that she stayed within power while he was there since she could brief him on the subtle changes within the Kingdom.

Somehow word of his drug cartel bust got out and he was wanted in the GA. The Jedi Order also wanted to see how he’d fare in a much more aggressive environment, however. It was difficult to get technology to work on such a technology-deprived world like Panatha. He was put through basic training and had no trouble keeping up despite his age. It was actually too easy for him considering what he was used to and his habit of joining his Warriors and Raiders and their training. During classes to learn basic maneuvers and battle strategies, it was clear they were underestimating him. He often spoke out against the Sergeant instructor as if they were in an actual battle situation. Some of the younger recruits scoffed at his seriousness but none had seen battle like he had.

It wasn’t long until he was stationed to take part in some minor skirmishes on distant worlds to gather information or subdue a terrorist organization. Each time, however, Ked would end up taking over. The Sergeants and Captains never gave him the lead, but he took it. It was offensive and blasphemous but ended up being necessary when they were placed in the worst possible positions with no way out. Men died during this simple raids and infiltrations, deaths which were unnecessary and clumsy. He took command out of the need to keep everyone alive and shake the uncertainty while instilling in them the fear of their reality. Somehow resolve and determination grew from this. Ked always worked hard, but not to prove himself but to protect others.

Spoiler: Part 2

It seemed his talents for battle and leadership went unnoticed. Ked was sent to Coruscant later that year, though he so wanted to return to his Kingdom. Something nagged at him, his own mind knew something important was to be learned here, or was it his Ancestors which kept him on the city planet. The Galactic Alliance thought it best to keep him nearby the Temple, as they knew him to be part of the Order. Still, he found it difficult to socialize with most anyone and only focused on his daily tasks and rounds. It was these times which led him to exercise more rigorously from sheer boredom. Not only was such a densely populated planet uncomfortable for him to upon, he still felt little connection to anyone, or was that his own aversion to meeting new people?

He was ordered to be suspicious, something the Jedi worked to prevent in people, it seemed. He looked at the older texts which were much more conservative. He could understand these best, though it didn’t always provide the best source for understanding the Jedi as a whole. Even then, many of the views had changed and some of the lessons were archaic and even wrong, which he would only learn at the end of reading the information and the disclaimer would appear. Learning was difficult for him when it came from texts, which was always the case. But the information was helpful, nonetheless. Reading laws and statutes of the GA and of the Jedi Order, he learned of ways to improve upon his own Kingdom.

Either emergency had him dispatched to the world of Gyndine or the GA had finally learned of his militaristic talents. Either way, he was in charge of a small squad that was in charge of gaining intelligence of Imperial activities and sabotaging the factory should these claims be true while the rest of the troops marched in to occupy the area. His quick and precise mind as well as his direct and clear communication allowed him to best analyze the situation and use the proper techniques to infiltrate the factory after observing the parameters. He made quick work of making a showy diversion while the others hacked the systems and planted bombs. It ended up being a minor provider of resources to the Imperium but the mission went off without incident.

Unfortunately, this was merely a ruse and the factory a diversion, itself. The group was not associated with the Imperium but, instead, a rather large terrorist group against the Alliance. The occupying soldiers were ambushed at key points while Ked had just escaped the exploding and collapsing factory. Once news came of the massacre, Ked didn’t hesitate to send his small squadron to each point of conflict and aid in ousting these bandits. It took a few months to secure the area before reinforcements could arrive and rescue those caught in choke points. Ked did his best to protect the troops, but guilt overwhelmed him as he was briefed on the outcome of the skirmish. He was congratulated for keeping the troops alive but he couldn’t find a sense of victory or success about it.

Spoiler: Part 3

The events taking place on Gyndine were further reviewed and it was decided that he’d be awarded the rank of Corporal but was not gifted the opportunity to exercise the powers which came with the title in combat. Instead he was stationed up on the world of Empress Teta and its Jedi Temple. He found the nature, however minimal, around its parameters soothing and was a welcome site. Paperwork piled upon the desk he was assigned and he continued his rigorous routine of physical exercise to keep his mind clear and occupied with something he was used to.

As records and reports came for which he was to sort and prioritize, he began to see some holes within protocol and regulations of the GA which he could fill with the Order’s Codes. What to do in the case of disobeying orders or cases of civil disturbances seemed inconsequential and even counter-productive when placed against the methods in which the Jedi would solve such issues. However, he couldn’t bring himself to stray from the role in which he was currently assigned. But one was supposed to be a Jedi always. It was still easy for him to detach himself from the other, however, and the decisions and actions taken easily came to mind and were implemented quickly.

Being within the Sage Halls formed within him a need to study and learn more about the Order. He soon found it easy to ask others what some items meant, though still having difficulty understanding some of the windier individuals. It wasn’t long until he found his affinity to Moving Meditation and continued his training in Force Absorb, which possibly could have saved more lives should he have been better with this during the Battle of Dawn, as it was colloquially called. He found that it would cause fatigue to set in faster than usual when he used the technique, but this made him work harder in increasing his endurance. Several months passed and his skill in using Ancestral Influenced increased dramatically as he grew to understand the concept more clearly.

Spoiler: Part 4

Routine set in quickly and his exercises only intensified. Activity for the GA ebbed and flowed with the seasons and his understanding of his Ancestors slowly grew. Never once did he consider his war efforts and acts of violence to be shameful or of the “Dark Side,” as the Jedi would call it. Ked believed this Dark Side to actually be a clinging to one’s self and one’s life. He called it “Selfishness” or just “The Self.” Some within the Order believed “The Self” to be a mindset while others believed it to be an actual essence within the Force. Ked, for lack of his own understanding, believed easily enough in both. It wasn’t unlikely for him to come to a disagreement with someone and further be chastised for it.

“Aggression leads to the Dark Side. The Jedi seek peace…”

“What of ‘Light Side’?”

“The Light Side is the peace which the Jedi strive for.”

“Light Side not understanding, knowledge?”

“Through understanding and knowledge comes peace.”

“Conflict comes with understanding and misunderstanding.”

“You’re missing the point. If we all understand that the Force seeks to bring together all life, then none would seek to end life.”

“Some believe they bring together all. Some believe only they can. Conflict others who disagree. Understand their way is ‘right.’”

“And that’s the Dark Side.”

“Why we learn to fight if Force seeks no violence?”

“The Sith are always warring with us. It’s a necessary evil.”

“Aggression leads to the Dark Side,” Ked would then mock.

Perhaps he wasn’t attracting the proper sources of information, but it appeared his understanding of the Jedi Codes had holes as well. Again, he would rely on his own culture and his own beliefs to make philosophical decisions. He believed aggression to be necessary to subdue those who worshipped The Self. Though he continued to study the Order’s philosophies, he tried to keep himself from asking others to interpret them for him, because he’d only become more confused. Instead, he made note of the items and continued with his daily routine. Ironically, he focused on improving himself but for the sake of aiding others.

Pre-Time-Skip
[FLASHBACK]Proving Philosophy Through Action - Complete - Sage Halls of Empress Teta
Awake the Soul - Complete - Sage Master Ashara Vashee's Gunship
Illuminate the Night - In Progress - Cularin
A Knock at the Door - In Progress - Oew Kingdom, Panatha

Time-Skip


Post-Time-Skip​

 

[Kiro]

So, Solborne/Gary Stu Mk.II.

Aside from that, some main points of critique:

- Impenetrable physical defenses

100% impossible. Utterly. I don't care what kinda Force Powers or how fit he is, nobody, has an impenetrable defence, regardless if he's the Chosen One or the runt of the local Jawa clan.

- Vaapad (Jar’Kai)

How did he learn this Form that was only Mastered by one Jedi, whom never recorded it's secrets, whom was killed well over a thousand years ago? If he learned Jar'Kai, he would have fallen to the Dark Side, regardless of whatever "high resilience to the Dark Side". The Dark Side isn't something that can be quantified. Once it gets into you, it's there, and you don't notice it before it's too late, and at that rate, you've already started making excuses for how it's needed, ends justify the goals, etc. Then you don't even bother with that.

- Revitalize (An inherent ability that helped him get through his extensive childhood training. He can go six weeks without food and two weeks without water. He can fight at, supposedly, full strength for days. When he trains regularly, he is usually using this power habitually.)
- Body (One would think he wouldn’t need this power. He can already take on a Wookie in a fair wrestling match, but this allows him crash his fist through tree trunks and lift the entire thing to throw it several feet. He has also found a way in which to use this along with Revitalize. However, this wastes his Force-energy reserves.)
- Heal (He cannot use this on others very well and looks like an Initiate practicing the technique on others, but when he uses on himself it is instant and complete. He can regenerate regenerative tissue (e.g. skin) almost instantly and clean dirtied wounds quickly. The scars on his body are from when he hadn’t developed the skill to its current degree.)
- Force Absorb (Though his well of Force energy is deep, he uses it quickly. He took years to develop this skill and compensate for the eventuality that he’d exhaust himself in battle. Now, being in the thick of battle energizes him as much as it tires him. It can act as a secondary Revitalize.)

Aaand here we hit Crazy Gary Stu land.

The useage of Force Power tires you just as easily as physical actions. So no, he would NOT be able to "remain active at full strenght" for weeks, even if he was at Anakin/Luke Skywalker levels of Force Sensetivity. Sure, he could become as strong as a Wookie with Force Body... for like a minute. Same with healing. That is tiring in the extreme.

As it stands right now? He is an invincible, ever-healing, super-fast, super-strong, Jedi that uses a Dark Side technique without falling to the Dark Side, whom can use the Force endlessly without tiring, which means that no character can ever hope to defeat him, without Powerplaying to levels equal or greater as this.

Sorry mate. You asked for critique.

 

[Amilthi]

How did he learn this Form that was only Mastered by one Jedi, whom never recorded it's secrets, whom was killed well over a thousand years ago? If he learned Jar'Kai, he would have fallen to the Dark Side, regardless of whatever "high resilience to the Dark Side".

As with Juyo, knowledge of Form VII was recovered from the Great Holocron by the New Jedi Order, who preserved the information into the Sith-Imperial War.

Also, I believe Jar'Kai was merely intended to indicate that he uses two lightsabers.

Otherwise, though, I can't say Kiro isn't right to point out that he's a bit over the top...

Apart from that, what the hell does a Jedi do as a Corporal in the Army? The notion seems ridiculous.

 

[Kiro]

Also, I believe Jar'Kai was merely intended to indicate that he uses two lightsabers.

Otherwise, though, I can't say Kiro isn't right to point out that he's a bit over the top...

Apart from that, what the hell does a Jedi do as a Corporal in the Army? The notion seems ridiculous.

Ah, right, I mistook Jar'kai for Juyo. But it still doesn't change the fact that Windu was the ONLY Jedi to ever Master Vapaad without going Darky Side.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

Defenses: I'll reword that, I didn't mean 'entirely'...it was an over-exaggeration.

Vapaad/Jar'kai: Neither are Dark Side and neither are lost to the universe as both are practice openly. Jar'kai is merely the use of two sabers at one time, Vapaad enjoys the fight and thrill of battle, but its techniques are of strength and constant offense. One person may have mastered it, but many have practiced it since the Old Order. And it also doesn't indicate that those who attempt it fall immediately. It's not in Wookie since it hasn't reached the far, but anyway...
And since I've used it before and no Admins have said anything, I assume its a valid skill.

Force Body increases the strength and endurance of the user. It pushes the user past physical boundaries. Revitalize restores physical fatigue. The very definition of those defy the 'tiring' affect. Of course they exhaust the Force use, which is what I noted, but Ael would be able to fight on...

And I'm glad you pointed out that he's a Gary-stu...since there are several others on the site who decide to implement unrealistic sets of abilities. But I digress...

Thank you for the critique, I don't take offense to it.

EDIT: Jedi can lead troops into battle, which is what he'd do. Jedi can organize on-planet battles. They've been part of the of the military for a long time.

 

[Solaris]

Apart from that, what the hell does a Jedi do as a Corporal in the Army? The notion seems ridiculous.

Jedi =/= command ability. Both Cassa and myself did not automatically hand out commissions and high rank to Jedi characters who enlisted in the GAM, and if I recall correctly the military culture in the GAM was moving away from respecting and revering the Jedi as deific beings.

 

[Kiro]

That doesn't change the mental fatigue that comes with the constant use of Force Powers.

And yes, I know there are others that have overpowered power combos. But that doesn't change the fact that functioning over several days at full peak condition, Force Powers or no, especially fighting like that, is impossible.

 

[Amilthi]

But it still doesn't change the fact that Windu was the ONLY Jedi to ever Master Vapaad without going Darky Side.

Actually, we've had other Jedi, including a former Battlemaster, in this timeline who used it. And since when is "it's been done once so far" and argument for "it can't be done"? ;) Although you may have an argument that the reason why the character should be so resistant to seduction to the Dark Side should receive some more focus.

Jedi =/= command ability. Both Cassa and myself did not automatically hand out commissions and high rank to Jedi characters who enlisted in the GAM, and if I recall correctly the military culture in the GAM was moving away from respecting and revering the Jedi as deific beings.

I won't dispute that. My statement was based on the fact that I felt that having a Jedi serve as a corporal was a waste of his abilities. Although on second thought, this feeling may not have been entirely justified. If fighting is all that he's good at, then maybe a frontline position like that is really appropriate, regardless of the felt weirdness of a character with Master-level powers occupying such a lowly rank.

 

[Solaris]

I won't dispute that. My statement was based on the fact that I felt that having a Jedi serve as a corporal was a waste of his abilities. Although on second thought, this feeling may not have been entirely justified. If fighting is all that he's good at, then maybe a frontline position like that is really appropriate, regardless of the felt weirdness of a character with Master-level powers occupying such a lowly rank.

Precisely. It doesn't matter what his power or ability is, really, if he can't lead troops. I have soldiers under me who are stronger, faster, and/or better shots than I, but lack my charisma (such as it is), ability to motivate soldiers, and my tactical know-how.

 

[Amilthi]

Yeah, but for those soldiers, there isn't an alternative between being a Soldier of low rank or being a Jedi Master moving things independently, but just an alternative between serving with a low rank or not contributing to the cause at all, basically. So my feeling wasn't quite as absurd as it would be in the real world, I suppose. ;)

 

[Solaris]

I don't know about that. My old battery's captain had more influence on the small scale than General Petraeus did.
Besides, everyone's got to start at the bottom.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

Solaris, I was unaware, but I agree with where you're coming from.
But Amilthi brings up a good point, this character's purpose is to fight, which is the reason he's not going to become a Master.

And, Kiro, you misunderstand/I was too vague about what I mean(t). He can fight, physically, with a lightsaber/hand-to-hand/anything else unaided by the Force for days. And spending years investing in these abilities, and these ten are all he really has while half of them are situational/minor, makes his mind enduring enough to take it for a reasonable amount of time.

Regardless, I wasn't specific enough...

 

[Kiro]

Solaris, I was unaware, but I agree with where you're coming from.
But Amilthi brings up a good point, this character's purpose is to fight, which is the reason he's not going to become a Master.

And, Kiro, you misunderstand/I was too vague about what I mean(t). He can fight, physically, with a lightsaber/hand-to-hand/anything else unaided by the Force for days. And spending years investing in these abilities, and these ten are all he really has while half of them are situational/minor, makes his mind enduring enough to take it for a reasonable amount of time.

Regardless, I wasn't specific enough...

No. If he is a living, breathing, sentient being, he can't. It is beyond the realm of possibility even for Star Wars. Not even Grievous, whom was 98% robotic, couldn't do that, even before he was damaged by Windu.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

Solaris: he has military experience both on his home world and within the Alliance...I just haven't gotten to the latter in my bio, though.
I mean, the guy's 52 years old...if he has no experience anywhere, then there's a problem....

Kiro: Oh, I misspoke: as long as he's using Revitalize or Body sparingly...
And until an Admin claims that it's impossible...then it's not going to be changed...
The very mechanic of either is to do just that. Also, his culture trained to last for hours, and all without knowing of the Force...so there's that...

 

[Padmé]

Oh my lawdy...Cracker, ya something has to give.

I'm at work, and can't go into much detail atm, however, what the others above have said thus far is spot on.

Jiang/myself will be in touch.

 

[Saul]

Is this a thesis, or am I blind?

 

[©razy Man]

When your character gets accepted as a Knight I'd like to do a spar with Minion. He'll show you what a Wookiee can do. :)

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

Oh my lawdy...Cracker, ya something has to give.

I'm at work, and can't go into much detail atm, however, what the others above have said thus far is spot on.

Jiang/myself will be in touch.

Yeah, after thinking about it and someone telling me in a different manner, I'm going to tone it down to a 24ish hour time period in which he could spar with someone, but only using Revitalize, since he wouldn't be able to use anything else. I was defensive because of the manner the issue was introduced.

Other than the military association and the concern of Vapaad, I'm not sure what else I need to change.
Oh, and if it hasn't been noticed, I edited it to "Nearly impenetrable physical defenses"...but this has to do with only hand-to-hand/weapon dueling without aid of the Force.

Saul, are you talking about the length of the bio?

EDIT: DE: Epicanthix are only .2 meters shorter, and I made it so they're war-like...at least the tribe he's a part of. Regardless, a cyborg Wookiee is not was I was comparing him to. (And why did you take out the part about Force Body?)

 

[©razy Man]

:p I noticed that I was getting a little to out of hand with Minion's force abilities. So instead I need to find someone to teach him in a new saber form.

Edit: But if you'd be willing he'd need that ability.