LEGEND OF ZANAR: CHRONICLES IF JARREN

CHAPTER 21 Zanar's Campaign

It was time. Zanar now had Lisa under her control. The night after Kelva gave birth, Zanar took over Lisa's mind. She wanted her to come willingly, and when she didn't, she enslaved her. "Today will be the beginning of our campaign of terror. The kingdoms of Jarren will fall in line or they'll just fall. As my ambassadors, send word to all kingdoms. They have one month to decide their loyalties. Let them know that their punishment will be harsh. Go now and bring back our victories!" she shouted. Standing before her, Lisa was ready to do her bidding. "Queen of the Gods, your subjects will welcome your demands," she replied. She turned, leading her warriors out of the throne room. Vanesly was the staging ground for Zanar's reign of terror. Lisa took only a few warriors with her. Zanar's war party consisted of the god of war, the god of fire, the god of pestilence, and the goddess of the forest. Many gods fled paradise when Zanar started her tirade against Tarina. Her war party was assembled that very night. With the addition of Lisa, it was complete. The few gods that remained were vigilant. They agreed with Zanar's view of humans. When the Prince of Vanesly went against their wedding arrangements, the last straw fell. The gods drew sides, and the battle began. The gods of war, fire, and pestilence had been looking for a way to rid paradise of the weaker gods. Zanar's anger over being removed from her throne gave them the opportunity. With Lisa as her commander, the war party was complete. They would head to the frozen north. To the Kingdom of Hoyon. They owe the gods their lives. Centuries before, the dragons were attacking, stealing the sapphires they mined. The gods rarely interfered unless it benefitted them. The miners were trapped inside the mines. As well as in their homes. No one in the kingdom could move without the dragons attacking. Their only hope was the gods. The king sent a pigeon, asking for help. The pigeon went to the god of birds. He took the note to the council for their deliberation. The gods took their time deliberating over their request for help. "I know no reason we should help the King of Hoyon. They've never made offerings to us!" the god of war shouted. The god of wisdom spoke up. "The begging for help is a sign of humility. They've learned from their mistakes." The council argued for hours. The hours ran into days. Half the council wanted to help. The other half felt it wasn't any concern of theirs. "I've heard enough. We either make an enemy of the dragons or the Hoyon. Dragons make and break alliances. They would destroy us before becoming our ally. The Hoyon have precious sapphires and will pay handsomely for our help. I've decided. We'll save the Hoyon," the king of the gods proclaimed. Everyone stopped arguing after his proclamation. The council couldn't decide anything, so the king decided. The king didn't win over anyone that day. Soon what would happen would draw a line between the gods forever. The gods had been divided for centuries. Being held together by a thin string of alliance. The king's decision without the council unleashed rage that had been buried for centuries. Zanar's father was the king of the gods. His decision would lead to his destruction. She was a child then, but what happened helped shape her. The king took Zanar with him to dispatch the dragons. She had no idea what would happen. To her, it was a day with her father. She loved doing things with him. With his duties as king, there weren't many opportunities for them to do things together. When they reached Hoyon, the dragons' destruction was evident. Many of the homes had burned. As well as the livestock had been eaten. The dragons had taken everything of value. Leaving the Hoyon in a dissolution. Zanar hadn't seen half-eaten animals before. She cringed from the smell of decay. Her father didn't even notice. They walked along what was left of the main road. Everywhere Zanar looked, there was death. The buildings were scorched from the flames of the dragons. She looked around in horror. Her introduction to the world of man was quite an education. The dragons seemed to be missing. The reports of dragon attacks may have been exaggerated. The Hoyon were also missing. There was no one around. Be it dragon or Hoyon, there was no life. Even the plants were trampled down, begging for sunlight. "Daddy, what happened here?" she asked. He looked down. "The dragons were mad. They pushed their way in and stumped down everything here," he said, kneeling, picking up a smashed flower. "Why did they do it, Daddy?" she asked. "Dragons are unpredictable. They tell you they're your friend and then do this. They destroy everything to get what they want. We're here to help the people of Hoyon," he said. Zanar started to cry. She'd never seen a dragon, and she was scared. "Daddy, will they eat me?" she asked. He smiled. "No! As long as I'm with you, you'll be safe." He laughed. His words didn't make her feel any better. She had no idea the power her father had. As he rose, a dragon appeared. "What are you doing here, Pesar?" the dragon asked abruptly. He turned quickly. "Telma, how nice it is to see you. It's been centuries. How have you been?" Pesar addressed him genuinely. "Don't play with me, Pesar. I would like to know why you're here," Telma demanded. He just stood for a moment, looking at Telma. He'd not been very trustworthy in the past. He needed to be careful in dealing with him. "Telma, I could ask you the same thing. I've been sent word from the King of Hoyon that you've been terrorizing his kingdom. From the looks of things, you have been. So what have you been dealing with here?" he asked? Telma looked at him for a second. "I've been dealing with a debt that's owed with me," was all he said. "A debt of what? What have you ever given this kingdom?" Pesar demanded.