Loshi and the Battle for the God Stones (eBook)

Part 1

Tangled Webs are Woven

The Black Beetles of the Adephaga were highly intelligent. They built a metropolis in the sky, and demonstrated a unique mastering of architectural design on the ground. Their homes were built into the inner tree walls with hundreds of dwellings with staircases that zigged, zagged, swerved and swirled. Schools, businesses, and recreational facilities were also constructed off-ground to further farming opportunities for an innovative agricultural wonder that provided for all in the community. A true sustainable wonder for all to live in and benefit from.

During the day, the Adephaga was abuzz with activity. On a breezy day, the air would be filled with delicious aromas from beetles cooking and baking. If one breathed in deep enough, one could almost taste the hearty and familiar foods as they cooked and cooled. After dark, all was quiet and peaceful. The night sky would light up with millions of stars, and once in awhile, the brilliant silvery moon would reveal itself.

The beetles lived happily and harmoniously in the Adephaga. It was a well-functioning monarchy that governed its citizens in a fair and peaceful manner. They were ruled by King Tearon, his Queen, Elytra, and their beautiful daughter, Princess Loshi. They were adored by all, and this adoration was reciprocated as well. The King truly loved the beetles in his kingdom, and it was evident in his actions as a ruler.

King Tearon was a good and benevolent King, but as is so common with any ruler, his family’s past was not without a history of tyranny and war.

Tearon was the son of the mighty Dynastis, a slave warrior turned King. He had overthrown the ruthless Ediuss, a ferocious Warlord who had once enslaved all black beetles under his reign. Ediuss was the carrier of two stones, using it’s extraordinary power for his triumph of terror.

Legend has it that Dynastis, who was born a slave, was gripped with rage after the death of his wife, Sarha, at the hands of Ediuss’ guards. Sarha was noticeably beautiful and Ediuss’ reign of power gave those of rank rule over whom they wished, at times with salacious savagery. Dynastis was bloodthirsty and swore brutal retribution against the barbaric dictator. This bitter rage festered in him day and night, this unjust act of cruelty playing over in his mind endlessly.

On the fateful night of reckoning, determined to avenge his beloved, Dynastis left his only child Tearon with a trusted female beetle to care for him and slipped off into the night. Upon reaching the palace walls undetected, he made his way carefully across the main bridge leading through the tall gates. Undeterred by what awaited him, he scurried quietly through the dark corridors, slaying the unsuspecting soldiers in his path as others in the palace slept soundly in their beds.

He moved between the shadows, quiet as the night sky surrounding the palace, and crept into Ediuss’ bedchamber, across the floor, to his bedside.

But Ediuss was not there.

Instead, Ediuss’ wife slept alone in their bed - peaceful, unsuspecting, defenseless. Dynastis approached her bedside and placed his dagger to her throat - one swift motion, and he could inflict the same pain upon Ediuss as was inflicted upon him. It would be over.

But as he gripped the handle tighter and leaned in, he heard a tiny sound and carefully pulled the sheet down, revealing an infant in her arms. The baby smiled up at him and playfully giggled, reaching its tiny hand up to him and squeezing his finger.

Suddenly, as if sensing Dynastis’ presence, Ediuss’ wife stirred and awoke. Before her eyes could adjust to what was lurking in the dim lighting, he had already vanished.

Feeling unsettled, she slowly opened the door and peered into the hallway, only to see several beetle guards lying dead on the ground. She stifled a scream and retreated to her bed, gripping her crying child to her chest tightly.

In the chaos, she noticed something in her periphery outside her window. She slowly rose back to her feet, walked closer to the aperture, and saw Dynastis fleeing into the forest.

She sighed a sigh of dread as he disappeared from view.

***

Alarm horns bellowed throughout the land as search parties scoured the forest to find the intruder. Dynastis changing course, unavoidably stumbling through the dangerous forests of Arathma, the spider forests. He ventured carefully through its nexus, navigating the weblike terrain, swatting away at the nebulous cloud of floating particles that surrounded him. Ahead in the gloomy distance, the outline of the Cave of the Dead emerged, a dark and tenebrous spider sanctuary where no insect ever dared to enter. Its appearance was far more haunting than it was welcoming, but Dynastis was exhausted and in need of somewhere to rest until morning.

Oblivious to the dangerous creature that was watching him, he approached the mouth of the cave, peering in carefully.

A fearsome voice echoed throughout the hollow.

“Who dares to enter here?”

Dynastis crept in fearfully as the voice reverberated through the moist capacious walls. Nervously, he answered “I didn’t mean to disturb you, I am a slave looking for refuge and rest. When I am strong, I will leave, for I seek revenge on my devils.”

A giant black and white striped spider moved into the path of a beam of moonlight, revealing his downtrodden and battered body. He looked at Dynastis with distaste and replied, “I also seek revenge. Your kind has taken everything from me, everything! They came like a plague and left with that which had once made us Gods.”

Dynastis’ eyes darted around the dark lair. They adjusted to the moonlight that shone through holes in the cavernous walls, and fell upon the faint silhouettes of dead spiders scattered around the rocky mounds. He realized he had come face to face with Bolas, the elder spider Lord.

Dynastis had heard Bolas’ name in stories as a child, but never imagined he would have stumbled upon him in this way. Dynastis inched closer to the imposing spider, only to notice that he was caressing two small infant spiders laying dead at his side. Their bodies were decomposed and frail, the stench of death emanated from them and filled Dynastis’ senses. Bolas wept softly as he looked despairingly upon the lifeless corpses.

Suddenly, his sobs turned to heavy, shuddering breaths. His gaze of sadness turned to glowering rage. The legs of his children rattled as he began to snap and break their bodies in trembling anger. The giant spider suddenly lurched towards Dynastis, who flinched, but Bolas collapsed in pain halfway.

Seeing the mighty Bolas as a now decrepit arachnid evoked pity in Dynastis, and he again moved closer to him, “I am not your enemy, old spider; I am not here to burden you. All I seek is vengeance.”

Bolas stared vacantly into Dynastis’ eyes, as if wanting to be put out of his misery.

“Your wretched leader Ediuss took the stone that gave birth to our strength. The stone that changed our destiny. Now he carries two stones, and his power is a danger like nothing ever seen before.”

Dynastis pressed further.

“I know your pain, Lord Bolas. Ediuss took my beloved from me, the mother of my child. His malice knows no bounds. He must be stopped, or all will be lost.”

A brief glimmer of hope flickered over Bolas’ face as Dynastis reached out to help the old spider to his legs. Bolas accepted and was lifted up off the ground. As a result of this encounter, a covenant was made between Dynastis and the Spider God Bolas that together, they would destroy Ediuss and his army, regain the stones, and restore their species’ legacies.

On that day, an allegiance was born of beetle and spider; they built an army of strength and size like no other. They plotted and strategized over time, and on the day of the full moon, they descended upon Ediuss’ palace. In a storm of viciousness, they fought to overthrow the leader and his henchmen. It was a bloody battle, but in the end, Ediuss and his soldiers were decimated. Dynastis and Bolas reclaimed their stones and set about working to restore order and equilibrium to their respective species.

For a time, there was peace. No insect could have predicted what would happen next.

***

Having been reunited with the stones, Bolas became enamored with their power. His wonder and awe was all-consuming. He began demanding that he hold both stones in his custody, instead of sharing the stones between the two leaders as previously agreed.

When Dynastis refused Bolas and challenged his obsession with the stones, Bolas became hostile. Dynastis demanded that Bolas surrender his stone once he realized that he was no longer trustworthy. Bolas became incensed. Breaking their pact, he ordered his spider troops to attack Dynastis and his beetle army, resulting in yet another bloody battle.

The massacre ended with Dynastis and Bolas left to fight to the death. Bolas was all powerful and with smugness he did not use the rings power in a show of strength. Mistakingly, he was no match for Dynastis’ strength and skill, but as Dynastis had seemingly overpowered the treasonous spider lord, Bolas delivered a final venomous strike to the chest.

As Dynastis lay dying on the blood-soaked ground, he managed to roll to his side, observing the carnage on the land around him. Without a sound or a breath in the air, he painfully crawled to the body of Bolas. He rested his forehead on his blood-soaked furry chest and plunged his dagger into his side. The spider lord’s body lurched, and...