(*editors note: bold is the old story; non-bold is the new one*)

(*Story by glech - sponsored by Glech Guk "Mmm thats good!"*)

(*There are use of the words 'prick' and 'bastard' in the story, if this is offensive or

is ground to get me kicked from the story contest I would gladly change the words to better

fit the audience, please do not exclude me from winnings just because of language.

If there is a problem anywhere in the story I would happily alter it to suit your needs.

Thank you from glech!*)

My limp body dropped lifelessly at master's door... no more hope, death was my only freedom from the

coursing pain. To think... this beautiful day has gone to rain.

I would never have guessed it would happen like this even if you gave me a thousand life times. I had

always envisioned me, dieing sweetly in a bed, with family all around. The dangers of this world had not

accrued to me at that point. I must have been blanketed in a sea of insolence, but they say insolence is

bliss. Humpf I don't know... All I know for sure is I had aspirations of more then this... It began at the

moment of which our star gives us no shadows.

I was the usual over-zealous child I had always been. My heart beaming with questions for Mellor to

answer. He was my master and mentor, I put him above all. Though I think he found me to be an

annoying prick as I look back. Still we had an underlining admiration for each other's abilities. This day

was like no other, beautiful, calm, and serene. Today I would evolve.

hyra. I hated how the dust was stirred into the air, how my feet vibrated afterward and caused me to

pause in my work to recover. It was disrupting and lurched the daily process to which I had been

accustomed. The Pikatan were unqualified as holy beasts in my opinion. Tynel Mellor and I were

lashing groups of vines together for the trainers' use. I knew Mellor marveled at my ability to work

single-mindedly, and had praised me on many occasions at the amount I could accomplish in one day,

even in comparison to such experienced workers as himself. I loved it.

I blasted questions at Mellor from every angle, just wanting some insight. I didn't get much. I'm sure

Mellor had hoped the long day would slow the relentless questions from me, but such was not the case. I

paused only long enough to voice my frustration with the rippling ground swells experienced while

taming the Pikatan. I turned my attention back to Mellor and continued my probing, "...but if Tallic had

I was upset that my chance at questioning had ceased. Giving up hope I tried not to cough as the dust

kicked up around me. "Of all the creatures, what is so sacred about the Pikatan anyway?" My scowl

Mellor was surely amused at my disappointment. "Keep that up, child, and your face will become etched

work done. What worthless creatures. The moons should not even let them live."

"I suppose you would also want to be revered as a sacred being too then?" Mellor smiled. "Perhaps you

would teach the Unarra about the patience of taming as well? And as for useless, the Kompa would die if

not for these creatures. They also give us great knowledge of our world."

I scoffed but the reprimand was enough to keep me from continuing to outwardly show my distaste for

the Sacred Pikatan. I just grumbled to myself as clouds of dust mushroomed into the air not far from

where we worked. However, the thunderous quakes caused by the Pikatan didn't stop this time. I

watched in distaste as the Pikatan reared up. Something was wrong.

at capture, I'll never forget it... My insides churned, a mix of ice and painful heat as I looked up to see its

silhouette on a near hill. I began to scream even before Mellor was trampled...

Chaos... utterly pure and sweet in its arrival. The flippant creature smash, broke, and devastated

everything, or everyone, in its path. The other trainers just ran around me trying to subdue the wild

beast, all for not. I couldn't think, it was all happening to fast. Now the animal had released the others

and a stampede had formed. Where was Mellor when I needed him the most?! Dead... crushed under the

forceful hooves of the beast he so willingly pledged his life too. For what? Nothing! This beast is just a

savage lifeform that has no purpose other then destruction, why do we hold them on a pedestal? So

many questions and my answers already smashed into oblivion.

Hah, now that I think about it, how ignorant I was to be asking questions of the world when death had a

royal flush and I was bluffing my 2 pair. Furry erupted in hot bursts around my quivering body. For a

second I thought I saw someone... a figure, no it must have been the dust. I felt interestingly safe in

amongst the clouds of dust. Invisible or untouchable would probably best describe it. Maybe because

none of them had yet hit me. How odd... the middle of a vicious stampede and none had come within a

good circle around me.

Slowly I began to clear my way out of the sand storm. Not more than a couple movements had been

thrust forward until I was rammed from the left side. The muscle bound creature used its head like a

wedge flipping my helpless body into the air. If worst came to worst I would fall on the deadly needles

that protruded from the Pikatan's back. I was fortunate, well not as fortunate as I would have liked to

have been but blessed none the less. Instead of being impaled by a rack of nails I was belted by another

head. I was like the volleyball in their game of play.

Saved, I guess you'd say, would be the best word to describe what happens next. Before I was smashed

into total darkness a numbing call invaded my brain. It seemed to have an effect on the Pikatan too for I

hit the ground in a heap. A voice blended with mine. The telepathic link had intuned all in the area.

"Hello," the voice was sharp and distinct. Did I know this being? "My name is Tallic." My body

tightened under the words just spoken. The legend... the creature that tales told could relinquish the

mightiest beast to nothing but a whimpering babe. "Young Unarra I have come to challenge you, yes

you."

"What?! This is absurd! A living legend against a poor peasant?" I replied the best I knew how... with

questions.

"Hmm, how interesting. Mellor didn't tell you then. What a peculiar discovery this is, this is. No matter.

I will tell you myself then I will, I will." He stopped maybe to think of what word he was to repeat next.

"You are more then you think you are. You have been born to greatness and I am here to lead you on

that path I am, yes I am. No more of that foolish bastard Mellor, that being was weak and pathetic. Your

creator made you for better things."

I had bled, I had fought, and I had exchanged words with that old Unarra... never had I conjured the

emotion of love for his name. He was dead now and this beast of a Unarra could only think about other

things. Mellor was better than my creator... it had shown me the way of a true Unarra kin. I will not let its

name be thrown in the dirt like that, vengeance is necessary. Clearing my mind of thoughts the exchange

had begun...

"What are you doing? You dare bring up heed against me?! I will bring you everything and you dare

treat me as such, as such! For the high heavens of Atriana I will strew your blood across these plains! I

will, I will!" His face caught with tension, the Pikatans reared as we picked our mascots.

I choose a small very quick fighter to blanket him in a barrage of side attacks, the Pikatan's specialty. He

melded with the muscle bond berserker that had started this mess. Champions were set and the herd

stepped aside sensing the incoming fiasco. I had never been in the mind of a Pikatan, they were nimble

frightened creatures. I felt a pit in my stomach that hungered for food. But of nothing more I blended

with its hate and anger towards others. I released its inner strength and being to use at my disposal. No

longer did I feel the confines of my weak Unarra shell, now I was in the elite fighting machine known to

itself as Guhchh. From what I could gather from its memory and emotions I was up against the leader of

the pack, Yesh. The fearless leader against a petty rogue, so shall we tango.

Circling slowly as we dared each other to make the first move. I would not stand a chance to go on full

frontal so stay in the circular pattern I did. Yesh made the first move ditching our starting ritual and b-

lined it straight for its staggering victim, me. The former was ox-like and I moved aside with great agility

but the headbutt it threw was enough to send me down for the count if I should be in its way. Speed

helped me the most as I weaved under, over, beside, and around its gigantic body. Its ever deadly head

and heels trying to smash me at every turn. Finally I saw my opening with our bodies parallel I skipped

to the side under his belly. A jolt upward and fresh spikes protruded into his warm flesh.

"NO! This can't be, can't be!" With a growl Yesh fell on its side, deep holes bled readily as its life wasted

away. The weak and nimble had won the day.

I chuckled to myself as I lost touch with Guhchh. "What a sorry excuse for a legend." Score two for the

home team. His face a mesh of pain and uncontrolled rage. I stood tall, noble, and emanated the stature

of a champion as Mellor had taught me. A disturbance could be felt upon the air, with a snicker his

expressions loosened.

"Well done my liege, you are held out a keen spot in the ranks of the Black Malice. Your creator would

be proud, yes proud." Now he was the noble dictator of this conflict and I the whimpering Kompa filled

with sorrow. I straightened and held as if nothing were out of place. I must make it believe in my power.

For my pair of twos had held up well to this point, maybe a good bluff with give me the benefit of the

doubt.

"I pity you old fledgling. You are such a fool." He laughed at me. My pain was deep set but that stature

must be maintained. "You laugh? Do you think yourself a wise creature Tallic?"

"I must say I do kind sir, I do."

"I believe myself to be a fool. I could have more easily beaten you in the Pikatan fight but I had held off

not wanting to damage your pride. Well, as the saying goes a fool thinks himself a wise creature and a

wise being knows himself to be a fool." Score three for the home team. With the score three to one Tallic

was up to bat.

With a cringe he began his backlash. "Do you know who your predecessor is? That Unarra I know well,

very well. For it was the emperor of the Black Malice. Yes child yes. Your creator was the underground

king of the Unarra Continent, your blood is tainted with evil. How does this make you feel, make you

feel?" That score took me over the edge, my being was of falsehood. The darkness which I tried to keep

out ran through my veins... all was lost.

"AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!" I charged at my fated opponent. Heh, how stupid of

me. With a smooth step to the side he dodged my blind assault and wiped out a nicely pointed bone. I

only realized the seriousness of this situation when the pain ripped through my back. I was the Kompa

hunted and tricked into the open to be slaughtered by the Pikatan. I guess Mellor was right. Another

Unarra probably would have taken Tallic's offer to become a king, not me. Maybe it was because I was to

thickheaded and numb to realize the benefits of such an offer but I don't think of it that way. I stood up

for what Mellor would of wanted. Mellor... again the rage filled me.

"I knew you were weak but kings don't have to be strong. Kings only have to be smart but I guess your

lacking in that too." I could feel him gloating down upon me. His face most likely fixed in a broad smile.

"I would kill you in cold blood right here but that would not be noble of me... no, no here is a dagger."

He threw me a small pointed stick. I could only laugh to myself.

My cut was bleeding badly at this time. It was a good deep cut from arm to hip. "So unfortunate that

you are such a failure... just like Mellor. It was a high rank in the Black Malice once. Came out here for

god knows what reason bringing you along, he did. Well, more like stealing you along I guess. It was a

brave and stupid creature, stupid creature. What a weak pathetic fool, even you lasted longer then he

did. Get up and fight, fight!"

I more then got up... by the time he knew what was coming I had landed a good punch across that old

battered face. My pain was hidden behind the pure vengeance that beseeched my body. He danced as

the rain started to fall. Swipe after swipe we leaped through the turning mud. I had been taught well by

Mellor and I guessed that my opponent had been skilled by the Black Malice. It was a draw to the end,

neither gaining for losing any ground as we did our beautiful serenade through the down pour.

My back throbbed with pain now. I needed an edge, but how with his defense so tight? There was but

one move that Mellor taught me that could penetrate it's field. Mellor gave it to me with a message... 'Use

this when your opponent is clearly egotistic and heartless... let him think he is victor." Yes Mellor... this

is for you.

Tallic's final swing nipped he briefly across the breast but my plunge downward had made it look a

deathaning blow. My hands covered in blood from my previous cut clenched my chest in fear of dieing,

by all accounts even a medic would have believed my facade. Laying there in the puddle listening to the

rain... there could be no better place to be right now. Total peace...

"Tisk tisk tisk, you have failed the test my lord... now you must die, yes die." His grin seemed larger then

before, I was glade. The Unarra stepped over my body getting set to plunge the bone into my skull. All I

could do was position my weapon between my toes. As he stood above my waist he raised the bone

shard ready to strike, but it never came down. Its weapon fell to the ground and so did the Unarra, with a

stick through his neck. My leg slowly lowered from its upright position. So I sat there in the rain... no

better place to be, total peace.

This is how my life ended, now that I have written it down for you all to read it doesn't seem so bad. I

could even dream about being remembered as a hero, which I can't say the same for my creator. Right

now I am sitting outside, watching the rain, writing my story on master's porch. My hopes are for

whoever finds this is to keep it dear to the Unarra race. I hope others can learn a lesson from my death.

Live the life the best you can with the hand your dealt. This world is not fair to some like Mellor but it

still tried to make the best of its life. Never give in to what others want if you know that its wrong, don't

conform. If I had to do it over again, pick life or death, I would be laying here, with my pair of twos,

dieing happily in the rain...

~Atlak