Bara Magna is inhabited by biomechanical (they have organic components in mechanical armor) beings, and the rest is explained in the story. If you are interested in reading more about Bara Magna, go here. Explore the website to read story serials or look for the books if interested.
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Treacherous Treasure
By Tristan Vernon
Malum stood looking out at the desert that covered the planet of Bara Magna. The Glatorian had seen much of it serving as the warrior-for-hire for the fire tribe.
The planet’s social system had been created in the aftermath of the Shattering. Ackar, Certavus, Tarix, and other members of Malum’s species, who had served as soldiers in the Core War, decided to make a system to prevent the tribes, comprised of Agori villagers, from entering another war. If ever there was a dispute between villages, the tribes would hire one of the beings now bearing the title Glatorian. The two Glatorian would fight, and the tribe that had hired the winning one won the argument and received land or valuable resources as a reward.
Malum was hired as the secondary Glatorian for the fire tribe inhabiting the village of Vulcanus. Raanu, the tribe’s elder and leader, approached him.
“You’re fighting Strakk, you know.”
Malum nodded, checking the large flame claws he had on his hands and the Thornax launcher on his shoulder. The weapon fired Thornax fruit, a hard, spiked plant. Overripe Thornax would explode, and although their use was frowned upon in the arena, it was not illegal. Malum, a sharpshooter and brutal foe at close range, saw no use for them, but Strakk, the prime Glatorian of the ice tribe, was a notoriously dirty foe. He was also one of Malum’s few friends.
Malum drew a sword and begin to sharpen it on a rock. He would need the blade, need to strike quickly and block with strength against the massive ice axe Strakk carried.
“Why can’t Ackar fight him, again?” growled Malum. Whether he won or lost, he wouldn’t like the results of this battle. He would lose some of Strakk’s respect if he lost, and if he won, he might gain the other Glatorian’s enmity – something nobody wanted.
“Ackar is getting old, and losing his confidence,” Raanu said. “He’s been our primary Glatorian for 100,000 years – ever since the Shattering. He’s the oldest Glatorian on the planet!”
“Fine. Let the old fool rest up,” growled the Glatorian, annoyed. “I’ll fight Strakk. But you’re paying me more.”
“Malum, you know the bone hunters have increased their activities everywhere. I can’t rick our village being cut off and not having enough supplies. Rumor is, they’ve been planning on isolating Tajun. That’s why you fought Tarix last week – the water tribe challenged us for more resources to stock up.”
“Don’t remind me of that fight, Raanu,” Malum snarled. “I see how you’re trying to make me angry, so I’ll win the fight. And let me tell you this – its working!”
“Don’t be such a hothead,” said Raanu, eying Malum’s blade as he turned it towards the Agori. “I’m sorry you have to fight your friend. And Tarix is the champion, so you lost no respect when you lost to him.”
Malum fired a Thornax. It struck the stone wall above Raanu’s head, forcing the Agori to raise his shield and bounce away the rocks as they fell. “Don’t taunt me, Agori,” he warned. “I’ll beat Strakk, and you’ll pay me extra. There will be no negotiating.”
Raanu shook his head. “No. If you get better, you’ll replace Ackar as primary Glatorian. Otherwise, you’ll receive your normal pay.”
“Strakk is higher than me.”
“Iconox challenged us to the land around the Skrall River. Ackar just had fight Vastus, and he’s pretty battered right now. And then Vastus got severely beaten by a Skrall.”
“I’m not surprised. And I would say that even if it wasn’t Ackar and Vastus. Ever since the Skrall showed up, they’ve crushed everyone in the arena.”
Raanu had to agree. Recently, the rock tribe, which lived up north, had traveled south from the Great Volcano to the abandoned city of Roxtus, supplying their warriors, the Skrall, as Glatorian to fight in the arena. Their efforts to join the social system included them winning every battle they fought and challenging tribes for anything of worth. Tesara, the jungle village near Roxtus, has suffered the death of its secondary Glatorian, forcing Vastus, the prime fighter, to exhaust himself in three consecutive battles. The jungle tribe was now running low on water.
The two beings watched the hot, relentless sun bathe the Iron Canyon in golden shadows until a shape began to approach the village.
“There!” shouted Raanu. “Crotesius, go signal to that sand stalker and bring it in here! Kyry, get the arena ready.”
The two Agori rushed to complete Raanu’s demands, Crotesius mounting the Cendox V1. The vehicle rocketed across the sand, with two ski-like blades on front and a tread wheel in the back. The Cendox was constructed for speed and power in the desert and maneuverability in the arena.
Agori pilots like Crotesius drove vehicles in the arena because the only other way to fight would be assisting their Glatorian on foot, usually as a blocker, provided the other warrior also had an Agori. Vehicle battles saved tribes the cost of using a Glatorian, and as long as either side had an equal amount, they were considered fair. Some Glatorian, such as the fire tribe’s Perditus, also chose to become pilots.
Strakk and an ice Agori dismounted. Malum recognized Metus immediately. A Glatorian recruiter and trainer, Metus was famous for his persuasiveness, manipulation, skill, and ambition to find a champion Glatorian from the ice tribe, something they hadn’t had since the founding fighter Certavus.
“Raanu,” Metus said, shaking the Vulcanus Agori’s hand. “I came to talk about the new hostilities that seem to have sprung up.”
“You elders don’t want to come?”
“Not through the bone hunters and beasts that permeate the land between us. I was lucky to have Strakk to protect me.”
“How much extra did it cost you?” joked Raanu. Metus laughed.
“How true. Well, when will the match begin?”
“As soon as Strakk is ready,” the fire Agori said. “I expect he wants to rest after the journey.”
“Not at all,” said Strakk. “Let’s fight now.”
Raanu cursed the white Glatorian. It was so like him to do what was not expected, to throw his enemies off balance.
Gresh’s sand stalker, pulling a cart of food, wood and Thornax weaponry, left Tesara a dawn. The Glatorian of the jungle tribe had been assigned to what Vastus had lost to Tajun, where the water tribe would accept the payment.
Gresh had trained long and hard. A young warrior, he had gained experience in training, always listening to Metus or Agori from his village, until, when the jungle tribe’s secondary Glatorian had been killed by Skrall, Gresh was chosen out of the trainee’s to replace him.
However, Vastus, despite beating Ackar from the fire tribe and winning back some of the land lost to the Skrall, had been beaten by the veteran water Glatorian Tarix, and then stomped again by a Skrall, who had yet to be defeated in the arena. Gresh was now stuck with caravan duty – taking the supplies they lost to Tarix to the water tribe.
The route was not incredibly dangerous, taking him south through the Dunes of Treason to Tajun, which was just north of the Sea of Liquid Sand. With any luck, after that he could pass Sandray Canyon and proceed to Vulcanus, where he could meet the Skrall’s challenge to the oasis near the Hot Springs.
Gresh’s sand stalker was making good progress, the cart wasn’t that heavy, and so far, the bone hunters reputedly surrounding the Dunes hadn’t appeared so far, so the journey was going to become easier, and more boring, than expected.
Had Gresh seen the things stalking him, he would have rescinded both statements.
Malum and Strakk stood on opposite sides of the Vulcanus Arena. Neither had any qualms about fighting the other. They were both Glatorian with similar views on their roles.
Raanu stood between them. “You honor our arena with your combat,” he said, holding up his hands. “May your swords and shields preserve the peace.”
Raanu stepped back into the ground-level viewing box with Metus as the two Glatorian charged each other. Strakk swung his massive axe, which Malum chipped away with his sword before striking at the ice Glatorian. Strakk backed away, firing his Thornax launcher. Malum batted it away with a claw and fired his own, smashing the spiked fruit into Strakk’s launcher and damaging it.
Strakk attacked angrily, his axe sending Malum’s blade flying out of his hands and then coming down to strike the crimson-armored fighter. Malum stepped back, grabbed the axe, and punched Strakk with his other hand.
The ice tribe warrior snarled angrily and fired his launcher. However, the damaged weapon barely carried the explosion Thornax anywhere – which didn’t matter, as the Glatorian where locked together.
The blast hurled them apart. Strakk’s axe, however, had been lost, and Malum rose with a vengeance in his eyes.
Strakk rushed for his weapon, but Malum grabbed him by the neck and smashed him into the wall, then struck him with the other hand. Strakk Tried to lash out, but Malum hurled him into the ground and kicked him, raising a claw over Strakk’s head.
“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” gasped the Iconox Glatorian. “I’ve had enough. I surrender.”
“You stupid Vorox!” shouted Malum, and struck him across the face. Furious, he grabbed Strakk by the throat and began slashing his body with his other claw.
“Malum!” exclaimed Raanu, panicked and embarrassed. “Malum, stop this now!”
Metus leaped to his feet. “Curse Strakk,” he said. “He drove your Glatorian to this, I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault,” said Raanu brusquely, grabbing his fire sword and shield in and rushing in to break up the scrum.
Malum had Strakk’s neck in both hands and was gripping it tightly when a Thornax hit him in the head from behind. The unconscious Glatorian toppled over, releasing Strakk’s battered body.
Ackar, Thornax launcher in one hand, flame sword in the other, walked into the arena. “My apologies, Raanu,” the sold Glatorian said. “I heard you shouting. I wish I could have gotten here sooner.”
“Everyone stop being so noble,” snapped the fire tribe elder. “Metus, see if Strakk’s all right. Ackar, get Malum locked up somewhere.”
“What will happen to him?” asked Kyry, who had been watching the event.
“Exile,” said Ackar. “The only punishment for attempted murder in the arena.”
Tuma sat in his throne at Roxtus, watching the Skrall empire grow. Rock Agori lined the walls, keeping watch over the desert, while bone hunters mounted on the rock steeds rode into the village to sell captured Glatorian or mounts to Skrall warriors. Skrall patrols came in with Agori that had been found in the desert. A Skrall warrior, riding on a sand stalker, dismounted and me up with an Agori, before both went to Tuma’s chamber and knocked on the door.
“Enter,” the Skrall leader said. Taller, with green and black armor, the rest of Tuma’s class had been wiped out when the Skrall lived by the Great Volcano, in the war that forced the tribe south.
The Agori, a guard named Atakus, bowed. “Almighty Tuma,” he said. “This warrior reports victory over the jungle Glatorian Vastus. We have won land between the White Quartz Mountain and the Hot Springs, north of the Dunes of Treason.”
“Good,” said Tuma. Atakus has been the former leader of the rock tribe, back when they lived separately on Spherus Magna. When the Element Lord of Rock had recruited the Skrall tribe to serve as his soldiers in the Core War, Atakus had become a valuable ally. After the Shattering, the Skrall were cut off from their homeland, and conquered the area north of the Black Spike Mountains. The rock tribe, who also lived there, had integrated the Skrall, and Atakus had been given the position of a guard in charge of the defense of the tribe’s fortresses. He continued that job now that they lived on Roxtus.
“Atakus, you have done admirably at your assignment here,” Tuma said. “Now go with this warrior. I trust the message we claim the oasis by the Tesara Arena was relayed?” he said, addressing the kneeling Skrall.
“Yes, leader,” said the Skrall.
“Then go with Atakus. Tell the jungle tribe we will meet them wherever they want to settle the dispute.”
“Of course, leader,” his two subordinates said in unison, then rose and departed at his gesture.
Soon, the Skrall would have the villages destabilized. If the strategy with the bone hunters worked out the way it was supposed to, then they would lose even more land to the rock tribe before the Skrall struck.
A figure walked through the darkness of Bara Magna’s tunnels and dunes at night. Admiring the rock formations, the being ran a hand along them, wondering when the opportunity to pass along the newest intelligence to the Skrall would present itself.
The being had learned of a trade caravan that would be leaving Tajun, exchanging some of the water tribe’s surplus of water for food from Tesara. The two villages had developed a friendly relationship. Hopefully, if the bone hunters raided the caravan, it would ruin relations between the two tribes. Then, the being thought, the Skrall will pass along the information to the bone hunters, Tajun will challenge Tesara or Roxtus for food, and the rock tribe will have the opportunity to either break up possibly dangerous alliances between the other villages, or beat Tesara and earn more land. All of which will make it easier for their eventual conquest of this sand-covered rock.
And when the Skrall did that, the traitorous being would be standing right beside Tuma, watching the looks of betrayal on the faces of former “friends”, and laughing.
And when the traitor told Tuma of the knowledge of how to solve the Skrall’s greatest problem, that being reflected, there was no imagining what could be squeezed out of the warlord then.
The traitor began considering how to approach the Skrall after they defeated Gresh. It all depended on where the fight was…
Gresh could see Sea and Canyon up ahead when the sand beneath his cart shook. Before he had time to react, a small, tan shape launched itself out of the desert and slammed into him, sending him tumbling off his sand stalker. The beast righted itself and tried to run, but the cart had upset itself, preventing movement. The stalker, panicked, began growling at the being that had threatened it.
Gresh rolled to his feet and recognized immediately what had attacked him. After the Shattering, the sand tribe had regressed for unknown reasons. The earth Agori, known as Zesk, became little more than bestial scavengers, hunting the wastelands, especially near Tajun. Worse, the members of the Glatorian species, the Vorox, where little more than beasts, but they protected the Zesk in some semblance of the way they had formerly lived their sentient lives. Fighting Zesk might result in Vorox intervention.
But what choice did he have? Gresh raised his jungle shield as the Zesk, staring at him with its beady eyes, on all fours, scorpion-like tail flicking through the air menacingly. Then it leapt at him again. Gresh blocked with his shield, then swung it around and batted the Zesk away again. Hissing, the Agori lunged, striking with its tail, only to be blocked again and again. Finally, it dove back into the sand, frustrated at last.
Gresh sighed in relief and walked over to where his sand stalker was waiting, tense and aggressive. Gresh calmed the creature. While certainly capable of defending themselves, the stalkers were no match for rock steeds in combat.
Gresh was pulling the cart back upright when the sand behind him exploded again.
Fero stalked the desert.
He and his rock steed Skirmix were wandering around the wastelands just east of Sandray Canyon. Upon the last of his brief visits to Roxtus, Tuma had told him to inform other bone hunters of plans to begin raiding the villages. Tajun was scheduled for the first strike, followed by Vulcanus and Tesara. Fero had done just that, resulting in more hunters heading over to the water village and waiting outside, hoping to catch a lucky caravan.
Beneath him, Skirmix snorted, eager to begin a hunt. Fero patted the creature on its head, soothing it. He had defeated the rock steed in combat when they first met, as was the way of the bone hunters, and earned its undying loyalty. Skirmix was tireless, never stopping, and in battle, he was the most ferocious beast on the planet. Hopefully, on his way to Vulcanus to find more bone hunters, the rock steed could get a snack on the go.
“Well, what’s done is done,” said Raanu, watching Malum’s figure recede into the desert.
“He made his choice,” said Ackar.
“Well, shall we reschedule the match?” asked Metus.
“What!” said Raanu. “But Strakk surrendered!”
“And Malum continued to attack him,” accused the Glatorian trainer. “There should be a rematch with Gelu and Ackar, seeing as Strakk is still injured.”
“If you want a rematch, it’s to your advantage,” said the leader of Vulcanus. “So if you lose, you also have to pay us in exidian.”
“How much?”
Raanu told him.
“That’s-that’s ridiculous!”
“I’m not having a rematch unless we get something else for winning twice.”
Metus sighed. He had no choice, really. “Very well. We’ll pay you extra in exidian if Gelu loses. I’ll find Strakk and tell him to pass along a message to Iconox and summon our secondary Glatorian.”
Ackar watched the ice tribe Agori walk off. “You and Metus seem to be getting along well,” he noted.
“I can’t stand that Agori,” Raanu groaned, exasperated. “You can beat Gelu, right?”
“I’m not that old, Raanu,” the fire tribe Glatorian said, smiling. “Easily.”
“Good. You better.”
Gresh was bowled over by the Zesk as it struck him from behind, its stinger flashing and striking Gresh between his shoulders, piercing armor but not reaching the biological components below. The jungle Glatorian rolled over, crushing the beast, before grabbing it and throwing it at the cart. It smashed into the side and got up woozily, skittering towards the young fighter again.
Gresh grabbed his shield with his other hand and pulled it apart, striking the Zesk with both halves simultaneously. The Agori screeched, flung backwards. Gresh slashed with one of the “blades” again, batting it to the ground and firing his Thornax shooter before it could rise. The spiked projectile struck the Zesk it the head, driving it into the sand and leaving the earth Agori semiconscious on the ground.
The Tesaran warrior turned away and hauled the cart back upright, calmed the sand stalker, and mounted up again to resume his journey.
Berix wandered the wastelands.
He was exploring the area near Tajun, searching for weapons or pieces of armor. The water Agori had always dreamed of fighting in the Arena alongside Tarix, and if he could only equip himself well enough, he could do this. But unfortunately for him, he was distrusted by many of the other villagers because of his scavenging nature. They branded him a thief. Well, Berix would prove himself a true fighter serving his tribe.
The Agori spotted something sticking out of the sand. He rushed eagerly towards it, hoping for scrap metal, but was disappointed. However, curiously, he hefted the mysterious object. It looked like the page of a book, objects that were rare of Bara Magna,
Curious, Berix began to read. It was written in an older version of the language spoken today, but he could easily translate some of the words. When he came to one name, he stopped and perked up.
“Certavus?”
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