Warriors of Megalodon

Chapter 1

THE WARRIORS OF MEGALODON

CHAPTER ONE

Blood ran deep over the plains of Bartokia, deeper with the blood of Caton's army of Penzers than with Gatnom's victorious Barbrays. Gatnom had won a tremendous victory this day. He had secured his kingdom and kept it from the barbarians. The Penzers would be back but not for quite some time, he thought. They were weakened and needed time to lick their wounds, to heal. For now, the plains of Bartokia would be a buffer between the two kingdoms.

As Gatnom called his officers together for their reports he knew what to expect. His losses were high and a few of the older officers would hang their heads. They had seen war before and they didn't like it. The younger officers would relish in the fact victory was theirs. Chests puffed out, spears red with their conquest and women and brew to look forward to.

Gatnom would not stop them. Young men needed to feel strong in victory. There would be a time he would pull them aside and mentor them. The old men had seen their day. They too once held court with the ladies and strong drink. Today they would mourn the dead while the young officers would raise a bottle. One such officer was Perry Gain. Gain was a warrior make no mistake about it. His sword and his spear were unmatched in the kingdom. Evidently they were unmatched in Canton's kingdom as well.

"Perry himself slew 35 men on the battlefield today," Yop Monga, the chronicler would say. "I've not seen anything like it since the days of Moganna the Great."

Monga had seen it all. At 150 years old he had been around since the Falcon Wars. The kingdom was created at that time by the Great Grandfather of Gatnom, Gatnom the Fearless. Today's king was named for this man. While he never achieved the status of the Fearless, he'd held his own.

"Your father would have been proud, Gatnom, very proud," Monga said as he approached the king as Gatnom left the battlefield. "You've won a powerful victory here today. The Penzers are defeated. They won't be back."

King Gatnom looked the old man in the eyes directly.

"I hope you are right, old one," he said. "But I wouldn't be so sure. Today we celebrate but I fear in not too many tomorrow's we will fight these same men again, or maybe their brothers."

The victory tent was full of the army's top generals, waiting for their king. When Gatnom entered heads bowed but a cheer followed.

"Victory, long live King Gatnom!"

The rousing greeting was mainly from those younger than the age of 40. The elders joined in but they knew their place. They knew their security and they knew what the King new; Victory is fleeting. Peace is what you build upon.

Gatnom raised his arms, smiled and accepted the hugs of his leading generals and high ranking officers. The festive time was only broken by the words of Datta Roush.

"We destroyed those pansies Penzer's today and tomorrow we'll eat their children and take their women in droves," Roush stood boldly. "The rest we'll burn."

Gatnom's fist pounded hard on the table at the words of his outspoken junior officer. He angrily moved swiftly to the face of Roush who stood his ground with the King. Fear ran though Roush's blood but he wasn't going to show it. His pride took hold.

The king's fist was clenched, his hair on fire as it welled up in his being. He hated the words and such deeds would never occur on his watch. He respected the manner of all men too much for what Roush was calling for. He didn't say a word but Roush knew where he was coming from. It mattered not as Roush held his own way in his black heart. A heart many in the group feared. Gatnom knew too, the tragedy of the matter was many also respected Roush.

"I don't like him, I don't like him at all," Portnovia said firmly as he watched the Megalodon Ball which sat at the center of the court in the world of the sea. "Gatnom must rid himself of this disease in his midst."

Shaktopa Bendi agreed but held true to the Megalodon Way. There would be no interference from the world below. With one quick lunge he could destroy the world above but he would not. Unless, things got so bad, but even then he would find it difficult to make that move. He understood the feelings of his second in command. Portnovia Pub was more human it seemed than Megalodon. He reacted rather than reasoned and Shaktopa understood reason and what it meant to the world they all knew.

Gatnom would need to find a way to make peace; a lasting peace and he would need to do it without tearing apart his one kingdom.

"Gatnom knows the task at hand," Shaktopa reaffirmed his junior. "He'll handle it or he'll die."