Iken stood atop a tree stump, many of Lizardfolk surrounded him as the Crocodile drew in a deep breath and began to address the crowd, eyes full of lush appetite for an exotic banquet.
"We all are pissed over the prey fleeing but we have reason to believe that our plot was foiled due to the intrusion of another! Inver, the elder of this village has a heart as soft as the cotton willow's buds! This all started with that damned cursed Thax! How many have died due to that boy's touch! And now he warned the prey of our feast, allowing them to run off whilst his dear little pet cries over his 'friend'! No more! We are not creatures of kindness! Our race has done nothing but struggles and survive! He promised a safe haven and has brought nothing to us but organization that has split the original system! Tonight we feast on Dragon Tortise!"
The crowd roared and bellowed as weapons, claws, and maws were raised in unison. The beasts hungered and would get what they sought as they began to march forward, ready to feast on the elder with a new resolve.
Thax had woken in the dead of night, awakening from his temper tantrum. In his arms he found the armor he was to give Max, tears beginning to well up in his eyes as he sniffled and clenched his fist. He wanted to curse his former friend's name to hell as he went to tear the armor in two when his stomach began to bubble and grumble.
He was hungry, like always but as of now he had little strength to actually do anything more than walk to the dining hall. No one was around, everything empty and quiet as he gathered a plate of food and began to eat. Soon he finished, placing a bloody plate on the table as he looked to his side and thought of his friend now gone. His heart felt broken and hurt as he gently got up, only to feel a gloved hand placed on his shoulder and yank him from his seat.
Inver knew something was wrong, the village was never quiet unless it was after a hard-fought battle yet there seemed to be nothing but the sound of the wind. He took a moment as he allowed his chi to gather and soul leaves his body. The air was full of benevolent force and hatred, bloodlust like a thick miasma as he gagged yet kept swimming through the astral plane. Suddenly he felt pulled from the plane as his eyes grew wide.
Inver looked towards a locked chest as he shook his head. He promised to never become that again, to move from that to being a protector of his people, to teach them new ways instead of embracing the old. But for the sake of the lands he knew what must be done as he gripped the chains and shattered them with brute strength.
Soon he was adorned in leather armor from long ago, it was cracked and falling apart as he pulled on his gloves. The gloves shimmered with magic and quaked once they were placed on his hands as memories of old flooded back to him.
Over eight hundred years ago Inver the Wise was not even conceived but Inver the Dragon was tearing the land asunder. There are few still old enough to remember his raid on the land but the legends of him are still gentle on the wind. Once said to crack Mt. Divine, the tallest mountain of Allaria that was supposedly an entryway to the gods' divine realm, with a single punch. He was formidable, stronger than dragons, and each blow from him was said to be like taking a blow from a dragon itself. In all actuality, his gloves allowed for his fighting spirit to take form granted it was a dragon.
Quickly he went to find Thax, searching the hut but found nothing but the armor for Max. He didn't hesitate to grab it and a few other things as he went to the only other place Thax would be, the dining hall. Thax looked to see Inver adorned in an interesting armor, nothing he had seen before as he gulped seeing this new form.
"Thax, I have little to no time to explain. We need to get out of here now and get you to Max now. The village is no longer, the others have reverted back to their bloodlust and are hungry. We-"
The sound of metal shattering rang out as an ax blade shattered against Inver's shell, sending shards of metal flying. Inver turned around, sending a chop to the attacker's neck as a Komodo Dragon style lizardfolk was hit in the crook of the neck. The chop cleaved like a blade as it rendered flesh from bone, blood spilling from his victim as Inver hid Thax behind his shell as he took a deep breath.
His chi began to stabilize as he narrowed his eyes, squaring his shoulders as his fists were by his hips. As Inver took in a breath he began to focus as a loud yell filled the room and the fight began as the tortoise began deflecting, blocking, and striking out at all who entered the door but the numbers were much too great for him.
Thax quickly joined in but the options were dwindling quickly for their escape. Blood splattered, kicks, punches, and blades were a messy flurry. Thax was dodging and weaving as best he could but Inver was not as capable. His body had grown worn and out of touch with his fighting, that chop used to be able to cleave a man and five behind him in half.
Max was right. He used to be a fine sword before he put his sheath of peace and building on but it was all for a reason. He endured slashes, stabs, and blunt weapons but it was already becoming too much. He needed to do one last thing before he was to bend a knee and accept death.
He turned his back to the crowd as he performed a hand sign, muttering something as his Chi took form. All were repelled and a dome protected himself and Thax, if only for a moment. He began to take off the gloves as he looked to Thax and let out a sigh, a tear rolling down his face.
"Many years before your hatching boy I was much different. When different powers existed in this world and nothing but strength mattered. I killed, murdered, took what I want and I regret it all, all of this but you Thax. Long ago on a journey, I had found myself in a deep cave, unable to climb out and full of different paths. Every time I took a step it was the wrong one, I killed all of my allies due to illusions and lost all of my men before falling into waters deep within this planet. I witnessed something I still cannot explain to this day but it spoke to me. It confronted me about my sins and my personal demons. I thought I was to die there as I fell into a deep sleep.
I woke to find an egg, on its lonesome while surrounded by cracked and broken ones while a creature feasted nearby. That creature was responsible and was going to eat this lone egg when it hit me, I was never supposed to be a warlord that waved his strength around with little care but a protector. I saved that egg and cared for it, for years I did all I could to save that egg and keep it safe Thax. That egg was you my boy. I fabricated a lie long ago to keep you safe, what you truly are I know not but care very little. To me, I am your grandfather and your protector. This bubble will not last much longer, once it fails you must run, as far as you can towards Max. He is like you.
I love you, these gloves are yours. You are my legacy. Live on and don't blame yourself for any of this. You're not meant to be what I was. Now, live!"
Suddenly Thax was grabbed, feeling his grandfather hug him one las time before he was suddenly thrown with an amazing amount of force, shattering the barrier as he watched a cleaver behead Inver. Many say that the planet seemed to shift, something had awakened that was supposed to be dead. As the head hit the ground Thax screamed, every ounce of strength he had suddenly unleashed as a plume of light exploded and became a pillar. The village was suddenly engulfed in a green mist.
Lizardfolk began to drop, each one dying in a single breath as life and the undead began to melt away. Poison began to seep into the land as pained screams of heartbreak and anger filled the air as Thax wasn't able to control himself, the marsh became a deadland full of death as something grabbed Thax and squeezed him tight. Max was holding him close, blood leaking from his eyes, ears, and mouth as he looked to be struggling with the poison. Thax stopped screaming as he allowed himself to be embraced while he sobbed, the poison seemingly dissipating as the two stood there in silence.