Lord of All Tigers

Petara held her eyes closed and chanted in desperate prayer before Taguban struggled to his feet and walked over to her. There Taguban took Petara in his arms comforting her before whispering in her ears. “We won, Aegata is dead and I spoke with Daisekel. Now we need to tend to our own.” Petara held him back for a moment before nodding and quickly rushing over to the unconscious form of Oranui and felt for his pulse before crying out in anguish as she felt no pulse. Taguban stepped in quickly channeling his mana. “Stand back, when I say compress his chest like it would if he was breathing.” Tagunban ordered in clarity before Petara crawled back away from Oranui's body. In truth Tagunban/Kagetora had no real knowledge of CPR or how to use a defibrillator but if they didn't do something soon Oranui would stay dead. Taguban knelt down placing two hands on Oranui’s massive tattooed pecs before sending out an electric shock to stimulate the muscles in his heart and force it the best again. As Taguban leaned back Petara leaned forward and began to press on his chest in the rhythm of breathing. This process was repeated several times until Oranui would cough up a wad of clotted blood and breath of his own accord again as he regained consciousness. Petara smiled in joy and hugged the both of them in a warm embrace as Oranui gave Taguban a simple thumbs up. In thanks, too exhausted to speak. The three rested for a while until the western sky began to light up orange and purple in the first lights of dusk. There Petara stood over the corpse of the Kapre in mourning before Taguban had struggled to move Oranui further onto the remaining soft grass and sandy soil of their man-made beach landslide. “Thank you for your sacrifice, love; you were the best companion a woman could ask for. I'm sorry it had to end like this, or so soon.” Petara cried before Taguban stood beside her. “I didn't know him for long, but I think he died happy knowing he was helping you.” Taguban reassured Petara. “Thank you Taguban, I think you're right.” Petara responded in turn. “Tomorrow morning we can bury them, he'll need a large grave and Oranui still needs help for now.” Taguban stated in solemn. “Them? Don't tell me you intend on giving Aegata a proper burial?” Petara chided in shock. “He was still part of my tribe, a great legend told around campfires at that. His only crime was being deceived by our warchief, I wish we could have found a way to convince him to our side.” Taguban remorsed as he looks at Aegata's body still in the center of the managram on the rock. “Especially for all the good speaking to that bastard god did me.” Taguban added in frustration. “Tricked or not I think if he was interested in speaking to you he would have. You can't save somebody who refuses to be saved.” Pterara comforted Taguban in turn before she walked to where he dragged Oranui. There the trio rested for the night and ate the last of their rations of campfire smoked meats. Taguban and Oranui both slept like rocks while Petara laid awake restless, finding difficulty in sleeping after the experience. When Taguban and Oranui awoke they did so to the sound of fish cooking over a fire. “You're awake, I couldn't sleep so I had the Naga catch us some fish.” Petara explained as she tended to the half cooked fish on a spit over the fire. Oranui then shakily sat up with a pained groan “Ohh that hurts” Oranui groaned in the Sea Tribe language as he stretched his muscles with another pained groan. “Alright what's going on? It's not like you to make a meal for nothing.” Oranui asked in concern. “It's not for nothing, we managed to beat Aegata and Tagunban spoke with Daisekel. I felt that called for celebration, asides like I said I couldn't sleep so I may as well be useful.” Petara answered as spun the fish over the fire with her makeshift wooden rotisserie before Taguban sat up as well hearing both his name and Daisekel being mentioned. “Whats going on now?” Taguban asked in the Highland Tribe Language as he stretched his weary muscles. “Our meal is ready, come eat love.” Petara answered as she took the cooked fish off fire. Taguban stood up and walked over to the fire while Oranui braced him against a boulder and slowly made his way over to the fire. There the trio ate a meal of freshly cooked fish, the warm meal reinvigorating their battered bodies as much as food could. Oranui ate but slowly before turning his head to Tagunban. “I don't know what happened but it sounds like you must have really pulled through yesterday or we would all be dead, thank you.” Oranui thanked Tagunban in Japanese. “I couldn't have done it without you, look how much more damage you took then the rest of us. I'm amazed you're still alive with all the blasts you took, I'm sorry I didn't know about that ability sooner.” Tagunban responded in both praise, remorse, and in Japanese. “Don't be, I knew the risks when I agreed to help. Asides my physical mana makes me a lot more durable than most. How was your meeting with the leopard god?” Oranui asked in response. “Terrible, I didn't get a single lead on how to stop the Warchief. All it said was that we were brought to this realm to add new mana, challenge the status quo, and go forth and conquer bringing new death and life to the land. What's worse is that my clan's shaman came to me in a dream yesterday telling me the warchief wants to rally for war against the Buffalo Tribe, he's already trying for his plans as we speak.” Taguban stated through gritted teeth and with clenched fists of frustration. “I was worried something like that would happen, as far as I've heard gods tend to be fickle things in this world. Though I was hoping we wouldn't have to go through with it so soon I did come up with a backup plan.” Oranui responded before finishing his campfire cooked fish. “We need to get you political power within your tribe, and the fastest way to do that is to become the representative of a Great Beast Lord and its kin.” Oranui elaborated before being interrupted by Taguban. “But most of the important Great Beast Lords already have contracts with clan chiefs and important shamans. They represent entire species; they won't just let me order them around for no good reason.” Taguban interrupted before Oranui talked over his objections. “Not all of them, for our goal as it is right now we must defeat the Lord of Tigers and convince him to help us in your tribe’s moot. Failing that, we must move to assassination and dishonorable tactics.” Oranui proclaimed in Japanese. “Damn, feels like both our options are nearly impossible. I tried fighting the warchief in a duel and I think he was stronger than even Aegata was.” Taguban dejected before stoning his face and shaking his head. “No, they're not impossible. Do you know where the Lord of Tigers is?” Taguban assured himself before asking Oranui his question in Japanese. “I do not, however I believe the Petra’s Tsentsak dart might be able to hound it out for us.” Oranui responded in Japanese before Petara perked up at the hearing of her name and the Tsentsak dart. “Again with the alien talk, what are you two hiding now?” Petara asked in the Sea Tribe Language. “I'll tell you after we bury our dead, if we want to get a move on any time soon we should start sooner rather than later.” Oranui answered in the Sea Tribe Language and then translated to Taguban in Japanese as he slowly stood up with a cacophony of popping joints and groans. Petara nodded as Taguban leapt to his feet before they began the long process of burying the Kapre and Aegata the Manhunter. Both bodies had to be dragged inland as for the tide to not uncover their burial plots, with the Kapre's giant body being a long and hard process with Oranui so weak from his wounds. Then began the great process of digging out their graves with sticks which for both bodies took all day before they were both covered again with dirt and stones in two makeshift cairns facing the Eastern sky. Petara and Oranui stood before the Kapre’s grave as Petara gave a prayer in the Buffalo Tribe language. Meanwhile Tagunban stood before Aegata's the Manhunter’s grave with his broken longbow in his hands. “May Puthaw take you with honor tribesman. I know we were enemies and that you died by my hand, but you were betrayed and lied to by our warchief. I will avenge your death by defeating him and ensuring nobody can be fooled by his lies ever again.” Taguban vowed before the grave before turning to join Petara and Oranui.

The trio then set about camp again as the Western sky blazed crimson and violet for the setting sun. That evening around the fire Oranui translated the plan to Petara who reservedly agreed and sent the Tsentsak dart on the hunt. In the morning the trio set about Westward in the direction the dart flew off in knowing that tigers while present all across Mikai Island generally preferred the Western half as territory, existing in greater numbers there. Days of slow hiking passed, with Oranui hurt, Tagunban exhausted, and the Karpe dead and therefore nobody to carry the injured before Oranui would begin to heal to the point he could walk for longer than an hour without running short of breath or nearly collapsing. Days longer marching West as the cool air of the Cold Coast gave way to hot air of the Highlands and mossy forests gave way to loose jungle. River crossings of which there were many had to be done with aid of makeshift rafts and aquatic powers of the Naga. Yet eventually the Tsentsak dart returned to Petara flying in glee, after days of searching it had found the lair of the Lord of Tigers far to the West in the borderlands between the territories of the Tribe of Buffalo, Highlands, and Jungle. Thus began the trio’s further adventure Westward, more days passed and with each one Oranui healed more and more until with the aid of his physical mana he could properly keep up with Tagunban and Petara. Days passed still and Tagunban worried how long the chieftain could delay the moot, especially the embarrassment the clan faced through his own actions. Yet more days passed and the Highlands declined into valleys of dense jungle between low lying hills of great tall grasses. The Tsentsak dart would lead the trio to jungle valley in which a roaring creek ran through only to be met by the sudden drop of a rushing waterfall. Petara grabbed the Tsentsak dart and put it into its holding place in her loincloth sash. “There's a cave behind this waterfall, the Tsentsak says there is a cave behind this waterfall in which the Lord of Tigers sleeps in. Apparently he just ate a great meal so right now he is fat, lazy, and in a good mood.” Petara proclaimed as she looked down at the drop. “You two stay here then, if I'm going to make a contract with the Lord of Tigers, I have to do it by my own power, by my own hand.” Tagunban responded as he charged the Thunder Step and leapt from hillside to hillside down to the bottom. Petara went to stop only to be held back by the massive understanding hand of Oranui upon her shoulder. Taguban landed safely in the rushing creek with a splash before he turned with pantherine grace and lunged through the falling waters into the great cave behind them. The ground of the cave was littered with bones from everything to elephants and rhino to water buffalo and human. There Tagunban looked up to see the massive beast lying before him in a deep sleep of total safety and comfort. Easily the size of three tigers or more with shaggy fur that bordered between deep orange and crimson in color; along with the deep red and brown stains of blood all along its muzzle. Without opening its eyes the great tiger chuffed before it spoke. “I smell your air interloper, why do you intrude upon the den of the Lord of All Tigers? Did you come to see my magnificence, or are you another fool here to make claim to my hide?” the grumbling voice echoed throughout the air of the small cave as its walls rumbled. Tagunban stood tall and firm with axe in hand, his nerves steeled and spirit blazing. “Neither, I come seeking to make a pact with you. A contract of mutual support.” Tagunban proclaimed his own voice echoed throughout the cave air. The Lord of All Tigers chuffed again as he opened his eyes which were the same blinding intense yellow of the midday sun. “Mutual?! Hah! A bold lie to proclaim while you were the skin of my slain kin as a trophy!” The Lord of Tigers bellowed before a cruel laugh. “Listen here you damn cat, this beast came for my life before I was even a man. Its death was of its own volition at the end of my knife.” Taguban roared before the Lord of All Tigers could continue. Now bearing bloodstained teeth the Lord of All Tigers roared aloud so loudly the walls of the cave shook and water flowing through the waterfall at its mouth turned to mist. “And the next words you choose to speak before me are insults?! I wondered if you were brave but now all I see is a fool who wants to be devoured!” The Lord of All Tigers roared in fury as it stood to its feet, his shoulders towering over even Tagunban's head as he looked down at him with blinding yellow eyes of hatred. “The fool here is you for calling yourself a Lord when you fall so quickly to anger. If you will not listen to my words then I'll force you to listen to my iron!”

Taguban roared as he charged forward with the Thunder Step. Taguban knew from the start that words alone would never make a lord of tigers form a contract with him. The only way to impress the king of the beasts was a great show of force and courage. Tagunban swung for the great tiger’s eye only for the head of his axe to be met with teeth as strong as steel. Tagunban wouldn't relent and sent a volley of electricity charges through his mana and into the axe before the tiger let go and roared out in pain. Taguban swung his axe again only for it to be batted away with the swipe of a paw before a giant lunge. Taguban shot beneath the massive frame of the lunging tiger with the Thunder Step and swung his axe for its back leg, the hooked blade sank deep into bone as the tiger lunged and roared in pain. Only for when Tagunban turned around to see the wound healing before his eyes. “Of course you're one of those miserable hair tugging headhunters, if real power is what you want then real power is what shall strike you down.” the Lord of All Tigers growled as his massive body began to pop and crack with violent sound and movement. Before razor sharp bones burst forth from his stripped hide with torrents of blood flowing from them before the wounds they brought healed in an instant and the Lord of All Tigers resembled a skeletal demon more than a mere beast. “Because unlike you petty humans who have to steal their power I am strong! Strong! STRONG! My bones are like blades, my hide like a shield, the power of my muscles an earthquake, and my roar is a tsunami!” The Lord of All Tigers stomped and roared in gloating fury as his stomps caused the cave to shake and his roar ripped throughout it like a shockwave. Tagunban battered by the falling rocks and echoing shockwave bolted from the cave only to be met by a bone barb bladed tail slicing at his legs as he ran. Tagunban leapt but the effort was not enough and the back of his calves were deeply sliced by the bone blades. Taguban stumbled and fell a number of times, skipping across the water of the creek as if he were a stone until he landed on the opposite shore. Taguban turned around onto his back feigning vulnerability as he channeled his mana into his axe, the Lord of All Tigers in his pride slowly meandered over like a cat tormenting a mouse before he stood over Tagunban. “A lot of talk for a pitiful human, for your insolence I shall pain you dearly.” the Lord of All Tigers chuckled as he upraised a wickedly clawed paw. “Your power comes from mana as well beast, you claim superiority yet copy our techniques.” Taguban mocked buying himself more time to charge his axe. “Copy? COPY?! Bah! Of course a lowly human would be foolish and arrogant enough to think their stealing of mana makes them powerful. My mana comes naturally from my position as Lord of All Tigers, your mana must be stolen from the soul of an enemy or a bound spirit. When a tiger eats his prey, that is the end of it; their meat fuels our growth and power. We don't masquerade as powerful while desperately clinging to the souls of those we've slain before. Now prepare to be devoured!” The Lord of All Tigers roared before that powerful bellow was cut short by the swinging of Tagunban’s axe into his ribcage, the hooked blade piercing deep into his organs with the electric shriek of an eagle heard before it. Taguban let loose the full force of the Thunder Bird rampaging across the internal organs of the Lord of All Tigers. Electricity arced from every extruding bone blade, his brilliant bright eyes boiled in his sockets, his muscles spasmed to the point of tearing, and organs ruptured from the electric shock. The experience of killing Aegata the Headhunter and meeting with Daisekel had bolstered Tagunban's mana greatly, just as the chieftain said it would. Tagunban rolled as the Lord of All Tigers collapsed into a heap of cooked muscles, blackened bone, and burnt hair; though Tagunban knew the Lord of All Tigers couldn't be dead yet. With the extreme regeneration he saw before and the fact that if the Lord of All Tigers were truly that weak he would have been killed or forced into a contract before. Taguban took his axe which was hot from the great release of electricity and cauterized the wounds on his calves shut. As Tagunban cursed the pain the Lord of All Tigers already began regenerating from his wounds. The eyes fell out as new ones grew in, a river of blood came flowing from the beasts toothed maw tainting the stream red, fur fell out in great clumps before regrowing, bones snapped into place as muscles rapidly healed, and the black char of bones chipped free as the bone blades regrew and resharpened before his eyes. With an orchestral cacophony of snaps, pops, and cracks the Lord of All Tigers stood on his feet again with a look of madness in its blindingly yellow eyes. “Trickster, reaver, dishonest one!” the Lord of All Tigers roared out in a mad fury that echoed across the entire sky before it lunged at Tagunban again. With the Thunder Step coursing through his veins Tagunban lunged forward in return meeting the Lord of All Tigers assault head on. Bone met iron, electricity met flesh, and blood met the open air as the two clashed. The two met in a continuous rhythm of clashing as they lunged over the winding creek that defined the valley their battle echoed throughout. At a place where the creek narrowed as it curved the two combatants met facing each other on either side. Taguban was covered in a menagerie of cuts, slices, and pierced holes while Lord of All Tigers resembled something similar only that each wound present was rapidly closing. Tagunban went to lunge only for his muscles to fail him before the Lord of All Tigers lunged and pinned him to gravely ground. “Look at you human, your body is torn to shreds beneath me as my wounds heal before your eyes. Yet you lay there without a hint of fear or agony in your face. Why do you deny my satisfaction?” the Lord of All Tigers growled above Tagunban’s head. “Because I can't lose, the cost of it for both of us is too dear.” Tagunban answered with a bloody mouthed grin. The Lord of All Tigers then howled out to the sky in raucous laughter before the extruding bone blades of his body returned inside to their rightful place and the Lord of All Tigers placed a single claw on Tagunban's forehead causing his wounds to heal just like his own. “Courage, conviction, cleverness, and pride. You passed my test, you may make your proposal before me of which I shall decide my answer.” The Lord of All Tigers chuffed as he stepped away from Tagunban and sat before him. Tagunban sat up with his legs crossed. “I need to make a contract with you, so I can use all the tigers of the Highlands in our next moot. Our warchief is an invader from another realm and seeks to destroy the natural world in what he calls progress. I too am from this world originally and his idea of progress has brought the near extinction of tigers on it among other things. To enact his plan he wants to completely invade the Tribe of the Buffalo and establish himself as a king for doing so. You can see why we both benefit from stopping this plan.” Tagunban elaborated as Petara and Oranui made their way down the valley. “If what you say is true, which I trust because only a mad man would attack the Lord of All Tigers for the sake of a lie then I agree. I will seal a pact with you for now, you will be the representative for all tigers in your tribe's moot. Now place your cloak upon the ground.” The Lord of All Tigers agreed before he ordered. Tagunban did so as the Lord of All Tigers placed a bloody footprint in the middle of the skin side of the cloak. Taguban took the blood from what was left of his wounds on his hand and did the same. The two bloody prints then glowed with mana before they burned as a pattern into the cloak. “With that the pact is sealed brother warrior. Though don't think that makes me have to be kind to you, waste my time and I will give you no aid. When either of us die or you slay another tiger our contact will be forfeit. Is that clear?” The Lord of All Tigers chuffed in authority. “It is. Now I need you to do something, you too Petara so come here.” Taguban declared as Petara and Oranui stepped closer. “Petara I need you to send the Tsentsak dart to the chieftain of the Axe Clan village with a message. This is Tagunban. I have a plan to stop the warchief, you don't need to delay the moot any longer. Though tell them they must wait upon the representative of the Lord of All Tigers, if they refuse our right to moot a plague of tigers will devour every buffalo in the Highland Tribe. Now I also need the Lord of All Tigers to send a tiger with the Tsentsak Dart to add validity to the message. Have the rest of the Tigers in the Highlands converge on the Sword Clan village when the Axe Clan delegates arrive. We will meet them there at the Sword Clan village.” Taguban elaborated with a growing newfound authority. Petara pulled out the Tsentsak dart before it darted off into the sky as the Lord of All Tigers nodded in agreement and roared aloud into the sky. “Also I need you to heal Oranui here the same way you did me, if we're going to make it to the Tribe of the Highlands moot in time we all have to push ourselves.” The Lord of All Tigers then nodded and placed a claw upon Oranui’s forehead. Oranui then grinned as he flexed. Then without break the party made it's way to the Sword Clan Village as fast as they could. Taguban with his Thunder Step, Oranui with his legendary physical mana, and Petara riding upon the Lord of All Tigers back with natural and unnatural pantherine speed. Along the way the party was given meat to eat by the various tigers along their path as they sped with tremendous speed toward the Sword Clan village.