Xhono sat in his cave a small fire burning. He sat and mediated. He was so intune with the forest around his mountain. The air, trees, grass, animals. He could sense when something was wrong. If there were poachers or even lumber jacks harvesting wood. He killed all who stepped with in his territory. Xhono is the last surviving member of the Yul-struma clan. Even tho the world has thought them all dead. For the Yul-struma clan disappeared 35 years ago. No one knows why or how, all they know is that one day they were there and then they no longer were.
Any attempt at investigateing the area has failed. Unknown that the last surviving Yul-struma still protects these lands. Xhono like the others is a dragonborn his blue scales glisten brightly in the mid-day sun. standing eight foot six inches he stood towering over any foe who dared try and stand against him.
"Yungear show me my forest. show me if any intrude upon my hollowed grounds" He prayed. Xhono like the other members in his clan worshiped Yungear the draconic god of nature.
"Yungear" he begins again. "Lend me your strength to defend my home and your creation. As Xhono closes his eyes his vision changes to the eyes of a great eagle whos home lies in the forest. The eagle soared gracefully. riseing and falling with the wind and on the horizon smoke rose from the trees. Xhono knew immediately what the smoke ment....Poachers. As he rose from his vision he grabbed his dual headed battleaxe. The battle axe was the symbol of his clan a fabled weapon that was to bring untold honor to the Yul-strumas. The head of the axe was all black made from a shiney black stone unknown by tbis world. The face of an archdemon etched in the middle of both sides, and the shaft that the head was affixed to was made from the finest wood the world has known. ancient deepforest birch.
Xhono moved fast and quietly almost as if he were not even on the ground. Further through the forest he ran the smell of burning trees and the cry of animals filled the midday like the sounds of battle. Xhono slowed as the scene came into view. A warband of orcs had began burning the forest and killing animals for sport. The largest orc began yelling commands in orcish and waveing his hands and axe. Smaller orcs ran this way and that way. Some with torches, some with hand axes or short bows. Xhono crouched hidden amongst the growing flames and shadows, patiently waitting.
As a orc ran by to light the section Xhono was hidden in, Xhono reached outand grabbed the orc by the throat. Xhono stood slowly as to intimidate most of the smaller orcs. It worked many ran tho a few atood there ground. The orc in his hand squirmed to get free. It muttered something in its native tongue but unfortunately for him Xhono could not speak orc. He opened his maw fast and quickly clamped down on the orcs head. The creature began to scream as blood began to gush from its head then xhono squeezed his throat and the bones in its throat collasped and broke. He threw the lifeless orc to the ground and roared while brandishing his huge great axe. The smaller orcs rushed him but he was ready for them. He quickly opened his mouth and exhaled lightning that engulfed the orcs killing all of them. The large orc stood there unmoved, no expression hung across his face.
"Ha Ha Ha This funny cowinky dink. The master will be much happy to see you dead" the orc said in common. Xhono did not respond. He had no need to his demeanor spoke load enough. Xhono rushed the orc quick as the lightning that shot from his mouth. The large orc, finnally surprised at the sudden rush of speed barly had time to raise his own axe to block the blow of xhono swinging his own axe down. Both axes locked, both creatures struggling to get free. Xhono drops his left fist and punches the orc in his gut then kicking him to the ground. As he swings to embed his axe in his foes chest the orc rolls grabs his axe which he had dropped and swinging for Xhono. Tho Xhono was to fast he spins around and the axe whizzes by missing him. Then he kicks the orc in the side of his head, plants the same foot on the orcs cheat pinning him to the ground. Xhono stood over him glareing down. The orc finnally had experienced true fear. The once bold proud look this beast once held had vanished. Now shame and dishonor fill the orcs eyes. Xhono clears his throat and begins to speak.
"Pray" he begins. The orc shocked by the one word.
"Pray? you say pray?! The orc muttered trippi g over himself as he spoke.
"Pray to whichever god you owe your miserable exsistence and beg for your salvation. For you shall find none here" he tells the orc. The orc began to wiggle and wraith to get free but there was no escape. Xhono brought the axe down across the orcs face spliting his head in two halfs. Blood spilled all over the ground and magicly as the orcs soul life this plain so did the flames. Xhono stood there axe held in his right hand and looked up. As he looked in to the sky he noticed that rain clouds had began to roll in. As he close his eyes over this battlefield rain began to fall around him and the forest. Xhono smiled how refreshing the rain was he thought. Before traveling back to his cave Xhono took a look at the horizon. Something was brewing he thought. something that would involve his ever being. As his grip tightened around the shaft of his axe a feeling over came him. It pulled him towards the horizon toward another foe one he knew would appear, tho he did not know what they looked like he would know once he saw them. He finally shrugged off the feeling and turned toward his cave. If Yungear wanted to make a journey he would do it in the morning. No sense in traveling on no sleep and an empty stomach, and besides the deer he had caught earlier would spoil if he did not eat it now. In the warm cozy home of his cave flames danced acrossed the walls chaseing the shadows. the smell of lightly seasoned venison filled the cool spring air. As he sat there enjoying his meal and the calm serenity of tbe forest he called home a voice rose from the darkness.
"Xhono i sense your concern for the forest" the voice began. "but you must not dwell here. There is evil brewing just beneath the world. It has been sleeping, buying time to the day it will rise from the depths and scorch this realm of man and beast" the voice continued. There will be others who will sense this coming danger in time you will meet them. Test there strength if they can hold there ground against you.
Xhono scans the area around his cave. "And how will i know these warriors" he asks still sceptical of the voice. "You will know them by the armor they brandish they will be wearing the symbol of the god delahur" the voice responds. The voice then fades away, no longer did its sound echo through the trees. Xhono, still seated, returned to his meal. Two warriors? how would he know them. He had a gut feeling the mists would be the best place to start.
The next morning he awoke and began to pack the essential items he would need for the trip which of course for Xhono ment his tribal cloths and battle axe. Haveing spent most of his life in this forest, he knew how to hunt animals of all spieces and which plants to pick and more survival techniques he developed himself over time. As he set out he took one last forlorning glace back at the cave he called home. There was a somber feeling about leaveing. As tho once he left the trees animals even his home would be gone. He through these ideas from his mind yungear had given him a task, and the god of nature had never sent him on a task he could not accomplish. Meet these two warriors he thought. "I have to fight them to determine there worthiness for this mission we are to under-go" he said allowed to him self. "hmph!" he snorted, if its a test of might you wish for my lord i pray they have there strength you say for if they do not i will kill them. Xhono knew not where this journey would take him, in fact he had not been this excited since his acceptance in to the barbarian trials. He stopped at the forest edge he had never left the comfort of his forest home. He stepped out on to the grassy plain and then another. quicker and quicker his pace increased with each step. His smile growing larger as he raced acrossed the plains. The wind whipping against his scales the grass beneath his feet. It all felt so new, he loved the feeling. Before long the forest fell away and the land began to rise and fall. Great mountains rose in the distance. As he ran the smell of a river assailed his nostrils and he realised he was thirsty. His eagerness fell away as his senses focused on his surroundings. He drew his axe and scanned the area for a long time. As he finally felt safe enough to lower his head to the river a loud rumble began to rise. "What in the gods!" he exclaimed as a large three headed beast emerged from a thicket by the river. The beast was a hydra, large with blue scales. The beast towered over Xhono who stood eight and a half feet tall. The creature whipped its three heads in a choatic motion growling and hissing, glaring down at Xhono. "Come beast" Xhono yelled "Come and be felled by the blade of my axe". As Xhono yelled the creature lunged its heads toward Xhono. Being nimble on his feet despite his size dodged but just as he gained footing to attack another head came striking. He twisted and swung his axe toward the creatures head. His axe found its mark and the head went tumbleing thru the air.
As he was about to feel as tho he was getting the upper hand, two more heads sprouted immediately from where the other had been. "So you have tricks" Xhono said smugly. " I to have a few tricks." he said again dodgeing another few blows. As he gained his foot again this time he did not swing his axe he inhailed deeply and as he exhailed an enormous plume of fire erupted from Xhonos maw. The beast stood no chance. It was ingulfed in flames. The beast writhing in pain turned to flee. "Did i say you could leave this battle! You started this i guess ill finish it." Xhono then leaped in to the air and brought the axe deep in to the back of the beast. He then fell into a overwelming rage. Over and over again he brutally smashed his axe in to the beast back. The beast had stopped moveing for a long while before Xhono stopped. He hopped down from the back of the beast covered in blood. In a moment of triumph he roared a mighty roar that echoed unto the heavens.