“what the hell is that damn mutt doing in here?” a deep voice yelled from the door, making me groan with annoyance.

The door opened up and a dark shadow ran in and jumped onto my chest, making the air leave my lungs. I lay there breathing for a few seconds. I looked to Tobi the giant dog who had always been here for me. “Tobi, why are you in here? Did u wanna come cuddle with me?”

“WOOF” he barked deeply, his blonde muzzle moving and his tongue sticking out. From the shadows I could see his tail wagging.

“Ok boy, fine, just for today. What time is it anyways? Morning?” Tobi shook his head, and of course he understood what I was saying. He was a smart dog. As smart as any human. I yawned and pushed Tobi off of me and next to me, I turned over and wrapped my arms around him and fell asleep. Two hours later my door slammed open and a fat short shadow walked in yelling, “THERE YOU ARE MUTT!! HOW DARE YOU EAT MY FOOD OUT OF MY KITCHEN?”

I glared from over Tobi and said, “Cook Brandon why are you disturbing the prince this early in the morning over some food my dog ate?”

The cook jumped, not realizing that I had been there. He bent over bowing and saying, “I’m sorry your highness. I did not mean to disturb you.”

“Then leave Cook. I need sleep. Tomorrow is the day we Gratorians have been looking forward to for 200 years, and you know it.”

“Yes your highness of course.” He left the room and I fell asleep again. Tobi was laying there with a doggy smirk on his face. He knows that if he comes to me he wins. I fell back asleep, dreaming about nothing.


My court page came to the door and knocked. “Sir, it’s time to wake up. It’s 7 in the morning. We need to get you dressed, the magicians are opening up the portal. We need you there.”
I yawned and stretched, “Grrr, fine. Come in Page Hori.”

The door opened and a tall skinny man walked in. he was about 6’4”, about half a foot taller than me. His face was wrinkled and showed just how old he was. He was about 75 years old, the second oldest man in this lousy dimension. I got out of bed and walked into the royal bath house and sat in the water for 20 minutes, then I cleaned myself off and went to my room again.

I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself. My name is Tavish Gratoriesha. I am the royal prince of the Gratorian empire. My father was killed by my grandfather during a revolt he had staged, which had then made me the prince. Grandfather was the king, and he was the oldest man alive. He was over 200 years old. I’m about 5’10”, I have black hair that runs down to my shoulders in the back, and goes just below my eyes in the front.

I looked at my body, a towel wrapped around my waist. I had scars down my chest and back, my muscles stood out, and my stomach was muscled and rock hard. I was proud of my body, I was the strongest of my people. I wasn’t one of those lazy nobles who think they deserve everything. I don’t even understand why grandfather kept them around. They never did anything but lay around eating. I swore to myself when I was a little kid that id kill them all when I became king.

I looked to the large scar moving from my shoulder down to my chest. It was one of my secrets. It was given to me by my grandfather 2 years ago when I was 15. My father had started a faction of people against my grandfathers rule. 4 years ago when I was 13 my fathers group, Armageddon Rite, approached me in private. They had a spy in the palace, he was one of the cleaning servants. At first I was gonna tell grandfather, but then I thought better not because grandfather was mean, but because I hated grandfather, and we needed a new change in government, and I knew that I would be the next one in line.

So I joined in, I had already been training with the best warriors and magicians in the Gratorian army. They started training me from the time I was 7 years old and I was a fast learner, and a really strong magician and fighter. After two years of working with Armageddon Rite they put me in charge of a mission. We were going to raid a compound and take back some men. Of course I was in disguise, I would not end up like my father. When we got to the Compound we realized it was a trap, but we realized it a little too late. My grandfather and a group of elite soldiers surprised us. Grandfather fought his way too me, and I fought him off, using magic and sword skills. In the end he sliced a huge cut down my shoulder.

The others in the squad grabbed me and retreated. They had one of the best healers alive come to help me. They healed the bones and muscles, but I still have the scar there. During the attack my fathers predecessor was killed, and the tribunal elected me as the new leader. Since then we had conducted several raids on big Gratorian compounds. I sent Page Hori out of the room and dressed myself. I put on a tight shirt, made of a magical fabric as strong as armor, but as breathable and flexible as cotton.’

I put on long pants made of the same stuff, I walked to my hidden cache in the wall and took out my mask, it was white and had a wolfish face on it. I put it down on the dresser, then I walked over to the south wall, where my armor stood. It was made of steel, painted white, in stark contrast with grandfather’s who would be black. I slowly put on the light armor. The greaves were notched with how many enemies I had defeated. I laughed quietly to myself when I thought of how many more I had defeated with Armageddon Rite.

When I was clad in my armor, I slid my mask underneath my breast plate. I turned to the helmet, and place it under my arm. I called Hori in and told him that I was ready. He nodded slightly and motioned for me to go first. I exited the door, and walked through the wooden castle. When I got to the door I took a step out onto the soil that the Gratorians had started to call Home, but which had no real name. The sky was a pure black. It was all that anyone except grandfather had ever seen. No one knew what the sun looked like, and all we had was a moon like thing.

I looked up and saw the small blue orb a couple thousand miles away. It made the whole area look blue, but it was the colors every gratorian was used to. I continued walking across the grassy courtyard towards the edge of the city. As we approached the edge of the city I could see the huge Gratorian army of about 2,560,000 strong. The whole army was facing a huge platform, and behind the platform was a large swirling disk, that was growing larger by the second.

A small clear hole formed in the middle, at the back of the platform, facing the vortex, were a legion of wizards, all chanting and releasing their magic, and opening the vortex. At the front of the platform I could see grandfathers black armor. I smiled, our plan would happen today, Armageddon Rite was gonna make its move today. We would kill grandfather and make a truce with the people of Throne, So we could make it back to Gratoria.

The army was lined up in ranks, and there was a single large line right through the middle. A chariot was ready for me outside of the castles yard. I hopped in and horses started pulling the chariot to the large platform. I pulled on my helmet and watched as the armies heads turned towards me. I saluted them, pushing my right palm against my forehead and swinging it out, straight to the side, at a 90 degree angle to his side.

The squad captains yelled, “attenhut!” And all of the soldiers straightened and stood forward at attention. I nodded at the generals as I passed them at the front and got to the main platform. I got off of the chariot, my feet smashing the grass under them. The grass popped back up as I walked over it. Grandfather was facing away from me as I walked up the platform, my sword slapping against my thigh. The platform creaked under my feet as I approached grandfather from behind.

I glared at him, he was completely exposed. His personal guard was down at the foot of the platform. His magicians were working on opening the vortex, and he was staring into the vortex. I glared at him knowing that he was testing me. If I attacked he’d kill me instantly. I could feel his magic hiding itself for the moment I made my move. If given enough time I could have countered it. But I wasn’t given enough time. I felt a huge surge of energy coming through the vortex. I looked left, at the vortex, as it began to warp in shape and dimension.

The magicians started cursing and yelling. Grandfather’s voice rang out, “What the hell is happening?”
The magicians yammered together that they didn’t know. I felt a surge of energy coming from the vortex. A loud barking noise came from behind me. I turned and saw Tobi bounding up the stairs. He ran past me at the vortex. I cursed and ran after him, using magic to speed me up. I jumped on top of him just as the vortex exploded outwards right at us. I covered our bodies in a magical barrier, stealing energy from the vortex to power my shield.

The vortex began pulling inward, and it began pulling me and Tobi into it. The Gold haired dog whined as we were picked up off the Platform, and flung into the Vortex. I held on tightly to Tobi as everything went black, I could feel energies slamming against the outside of my barrier. Lights began flashing by, a rainbow of colors flew past us. The rainbow lights began to pass through my barrier and touch us. When then lights touched us I felt energy running through my body. A new energy I had never felt before. It pushed into the deepest parts of my soul and gave me new strength.

In my arms I could feel Tobi straighten. Then the lights stopped, a light flashed and we were falling in air. My barrier still up. We hit the ground, me underneath Tobi. As I hit the ground the breath flew out of my stomach, and my head hit the ground, cushioned a little by the barrier. My vision went black and I was knocked unconscious.

(Chapter One is Over, If you want more. Ask)