The Attack of Ganhai Mountain

The Climb Begins

The camp gathered up its forces and supplies, rolling up the tents and putting out campfires, in order to prepare for its ascent up the mountain.  All the magicians in their colored robes were arming themselves with their magic weapons.  Maelin had a wand in his sleeve, Dalib had a staff, and Bendon kept trying on his rings, turning various different sizes, very large and very small.  There were other magicians of course, and they all had different powers, but they all had one thing in common.

From time to time they would all shoot Leevan smug looks, as if daring him to show his magical weapons.  As it was, Leevan had only his normal, everyday sword and knowledge, which wasn't looking like much next to the others' arsenal.

At least two of the other magicians didn't look like that.  There was this eagle man who was part of the order of the sun.  He had brown wings in his back and brown feathers on his head instead of hair, but otherwise he had the same colored robes as everyone.  He also had a magic bow that never missed its intended target.  He smiled at Leevan, came up, patted him on the back and said, "I'm sure you'll do fine."

"So I'm as nervous on the outside as I am on the inside huh?" Leevan replied.  "Not quite reassuring Vonor."

Vonor chuckled and walked on.  Then Leevan turned his eyes to another magician who didn't look at him smugly.  She was called Kemra, and always smiled at him sweetly.  It didn't mean much as she smiled sweetly at everybody, but it was a nice change from the smug looks.  At that moment she did smile at him, and he gave a weak smile back, and then returned to what he was doing.

"Alright!" cried general Hevman as the camp finished packing. "We're going up now.  Remember, there are probably some magical defenses up ahead, so always be on your guard.  Just keep a clear head, and keep your wits about you." He looked straight at Leevan, who was nervous but nodded bravely.  The general then said, "Move out."

Maelin took his place next to the general, giving Leevan another smug look.  Of course Maelin would sit next to him.  He could see magic spells, and would be warning him about magical traps and the like.  He didn't have to be so…so…ugh!

Leevan was still getting that arrogance from the others, even the soldiers...no...they were looking with disdain at someone else.  He followed one soldier's eyes and found a cyclops soldier.

It shouldn't have been unexpected.  There were eagle men in this army too, armed and ready to fight Hurvun.  It's not like this was a human only affair.  However, even some of the eagle men were giving this cyclops hard looks, and Leevan knew why.  Hurvun, the sorcerer they were after, the one who declared war on the world if it didn't bow to him, was a cyclops, and of course many of those people supported him.

This one was dressed in typical cyclops battle gear.  This meant he was covered head to toe in metal, a perfect suit of armor with almost no weak point.  The cyclopses were good with metal.  This suit seemed to have only one weakness, a portal that let his eye see the world.  With poor eyesight, cyclopses couldn't afford to use a visor, so they had to leave their eye exposed.  A weakness on an otherwise invincible warrior.

He was definitely imposing, but his eye met Leevan's, and Leevan saw sadness, and loneliness.  Not many cyclopses had gone against Hurvun, assuredly.  He might have looked powerful in that special armor, but in that eye Leevan saw himself.

Alone, while others looked upon him smugly.

As Leevan began marching up the mountain with the others, He couldn't help but wonder what their role in this would be when all was said and done.

Everyone marched up. The magicians in their colored robes, Leevan in his brown robes, the soldiers with their leather armor, square shields, spears, and helmets with headdresses on them; they all made it a good ways up the mountain when

"Stop!" cried Maelin. "There's a trap up ahead!  And it's magical!"