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RZVAN VOICU






RZBOINICII MUNILOR




THE MOUNTAINS WARRIORS







Bucureti
2010
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rzvnvoicu@yahoo.com

ISBN: 978-973-0-08939-4
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Chapter 1

The Canyon
There was a time when many people had no more energy to enjoy life; they had no hope
that their lands would come back to peace and freedom. It was the time of darkness created by
the empire of Stredok and his generals: Sapek, Taprek, Talmai, Aldruk and Elmer. The two
rivers, once had bathed into their waters a territory with a thriving civilization created into free
and peaceful kingdoms, and later they housed Stredok Emperor's warships. Aside from iron and
bronze ore, weapons and food for his huge army, Stredoks ships were also bringing slaves to
work for his future residence: a huge pyramid-shaped palace surrounded by triple-row walls. A
huge ditch, also having a defensive role, which could be crossed using two antipodal folding
bridges, surrounded the last wall of defense. For decades, empires architects, engineers, and
slaves had made superhuman efforts to finish this megalomaniac building. As if not enough, in
front of that building an exquisite marble and stone statue of the ruthless dictator Stredok, ruler
over most of North Kingdoms, Kingdom of the Sunny Plateaus and Kingdom of the Two Rivers
was rising. Aside from those kingdoms, numerous tribes of warriors (Theracs, Irdahoes, Esdrecs)
and farmers (Erdacs, Medryds, Astruareds etc.) were destroyed or taken into slavery. There were
also areas unoccupied by the imperial armies, especially in the North Kingdoms and the
Kingdom of the Two Rivers. The new palace was built in the Kingdom of the Two Rivers. Those
occupied areas were not rich in gold, precious stones ore bronze and iron ore, and were difficult
to get at. There were two large kingdoms at the North of the North Kingdoms: the Kingdom of
Getyrs and the Kingdom of Samerzes. These kingdoms were placed in west and northwest of
Dark Sea and they were considered as implacable enemies of the Great Empire.
The emperor Stredok had a beautiful wife named Incensa, a witch from the Kingdom of
the Two Rivers, who could see through a crystal ball the location and energy variation of most
people within the empire. All of them wore metal bracelets equipped with a crystal fixed inside.
Crystal inside the bracelet was made of the same material as the Empress Incensas globe. All
soldiers of the empire were given such bracelets in order to stop riots, desertions or range
themselves on the side of the slaves. Aside from emperor Stredok, empress Incensa, those five
generals, and several others close to the imperial family, all others were fanatised and their
traditions, customs and culture (where they were coming from) were systematically destroyed.
After years of indoctrination, some empires people were dedicated only to the Emperor and his
wars, depredation, destruction and enjoyed their pays. There were various cult objects and
buildings inside the conquered kingdoms, like: nisralnda (construction carried out on the slopes
of mountains in Northern Kingdom), tarlinda (construction made of stone and situated on the
sunniest plateau in the Kingdom of the Sunny Plateaus and dexina (wooden building mounted on
wooden pillars in the bed of a river and equipped with bridges having a variable geometry
situated in the Kingdom of the Two Rivers). Inside those cult buildings there were the Elmyths,
those wise men who served and shared the faith, also warriors who helped their fellows in
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swords. The Elmyths resonated with the divinity, nature and human suffering through some
energetic systems. One day, after a prolonged war with the Stredoks empire, an old Elmyth
named Sarda from North Kingdoms came before Emperor and Empress. He stood proud and
fearless on a thick carpet with extremely colorful geometric shapes. He was tied with some thick
chains.
Stredok: What do you think Incensa, can we re-educate this old Elmyth on the Empire style?
Incensa: It will not be easy, but after that we can prove him that there is not much real chance to
escape.
Stredok: They say these Elmyths have precious stones hidden in places known only to them.
These stones give Elmyths a very big energetic force, which is sent to people and give them
confidence in the future.
Incensa: You know that we have special camps to destroy the personality of children and
prisoners of war and that we have obtained good results so far.
Stredok: We have obtained good results with children without direct links with Elmyths, with
those who were not trained by them.
With cunning and his well-known arrogance, Emperor told the Elmyth:
Stredok: I am delighted to see you next to me in my palace, old man.
Sardam: I do not believe you, Emperor Stredok.
Knitting his brows, Emperor Stredok responded the Elmyth:
Stredok: Why dont you?
Sardam: If you really enjoyed it, I were invited as a guest in your palace, not as a prisoner in
chains.
Empress and Emperors generals were amazed by the courage of the Elmyth and expected a
harsh reaction from their leader.
Stredok: How did you dare to fight against me, when you knew that you have no chance? Why
not to be in chains now?
Stredok: Many of your men died in battle. Are you not satisfied to be alive?
Sardam: I am sad because Im not among my peoples heroes who died in battle. It is a shame
for me to be here.
Sardam: The cult of heroes lives by heroes!
Stredok: I receive you as my adviser, after telling me all the secrets of your belief.
Sardam: Our belief can not be sold; we perceive it as we have learned it from generation to
generation. You must have a developed energy level to trace our belief.
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Sardam: I know that all kingdoms have energy, culture, and strong spirituality. Even though the
gods we believe in differ from kingdom to kingdom, a great sage told us that there is actually
only one god.
Sardam: Our faith is sent by the gods to the rivers, mountains, seas, forests, lakes, fields and so
on.
Sardam: As long as we have faith, we cannot be destroyed even if we are just a few left because
you know well that there are still many places in the Northern Kingdom and possibly in other
Kingdoms that can never be conquered by your powerful armies.
Stredok: Other Elmyths prisoners said that each Kingdom has a precious stone which captures
the gods energy and then transmit it on the entire surface of Kingdoms. Therefore, there are
energy generators.
Stredok: If I find these precious stones, I will destroy your faith and energetic system received
from your gods.
Sardam: Those precious stones will show themselves only to those who are destined by the
gods to be kings of all kingdoms and defeat the apparently invincible emperor Stredok. The light
of thoughts is formed by the gold of the soul!
These were Sardams last words in front of Stredok, because after this discussion without
results for Stredok, Sarda was sent to forced labor. He did not last long and died like so many
others who dared to oppose the Emperor Stredok and Empress Incensa. The Emperor sent spies
in all occupied areas of the Kingdoms, telling them to pass themselves for runaway slaves or
deserting soldiers. These spies were closely followed by the means of those crystals fixed inside
metal bracelets, and, when returning home, if they did not reach the areas determined by their
masters, they were executed after telling all that they had seen before.
Nardrek, one of the Emperors spies, was sent to the Kingdom of the Two Rivers, and
after he walked across an arid area without water, he finally reached the edge of a deep canyon.
Slopes showed that once a large river passed through this Canyon. He was astonished when he
saw the suspended gardens built on Canyons slopes. In these suspended gardens were planted:
corn, wheat, rice, hemp, etc. In last suspended garden were planted trees as olive-trees, fig trees
and orange trees. These gardens were built on both slopes. Despite of this arid land, slopes
shaded the crop and the sun was allowed to shine just as much as plants needed for proper
development.
From outside, Nardrek could see a performance system of irrigation, but only after he
came to speak with the ones who had built those suspended gardens he could see other
impressive things. After the Nardrek shouted for someone to hear him across the canyon, a panel
of polished stone appeared and almost perfectly reflected them and other ten feet on both sides.
Then, a few meters from Nardrek a wooden ladder appeared and he stepped down about thirty
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feet and stopped near a stone door that was open. Several men armed with bows and arrows,
crossbows, knives, axes and curved swords were waiting for him. He was invited to enter a long
corridor of stone that was flanked on one side with spacious rooms and on the other side with
small windows of stone that even a child could not enter. The rooms were carved in stone,
lighted by candles or torches, but they received enough sunlight from small windows, which
were areas between thick columns of stone. There were chairs and wooden tables inside the
rooms. On the walls, there were shelves for plates, cutlery, and cups made of wood. Porcelain
plates made of very sophisticated material making surprised Nardrek as he expected to find there
only some wild tribes without having noble customs. Three men came near and invited him into
a bright room to sit on a big wooden chair. The three other men sat on the same kind of chairs.
The men were strong, resolute and dressed in hemp and flax. The clothes of the one in the middle
were more colorful with different lines and geometric figures. He was the leader and, therefore,
started talking:
Leader: You are welcome in our homes.
Leader: Where are you come from? And where are you going?
When Nardrek was just to answer his question, a woman wearing a black skirt, white shirt
covered by an apron with yellow and black horizontal lines entered the room offering him food
and fresh cold water from a big cup of wood.
Stranger: My name is Nardrek and I am traveler from the North Kingdoms.
Nardrek: I want to go to the Kingdom of the Sunny Plateaus.
Nardrek: I believe this is not the way because I know that Kingdom of the Sunny Plateaus has
not dry areas.
Leader: My name is Derza and I am the leader of the Getyr people in the Canion.
Nardrek: So, do you call yourselves Getyrs?
Derza: Yes, we do. Getyrs people are warriors and farmers.
Nardrek: My people are Medryds and we are farmers, but since the ruthless Stredoks armies
conquered us, many of us have been taken into slavery. I was taken as a slave, too, but I could
escape.
Nardrek: I tried to get into an area not controlled by imperial armies but I see this is not the
way.
Nardrek: I was lucky to meet you.
Nardrek: Recently, the Emperor moved into his new palace which can not be conquered by
anyone, so our future is not a good one.
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Nardrek: Thank you again for giving me this welcome; I wouldnt have had any chances of
survival without you.
Nobody could trust that man. Getyrs listened to him very carefully and tried to deduce who sent
him to spy. He didnt look to be a slave, he showed nor fear or obedience.
Derza: Let me show you our homes, irrigation systems and the Canyon.
For some hours, Getyrs showed him the Canyon, but not his secrets, only the inhabited areas.
Getyrs lived in lined up rooms dug into the rock, which were arranged on several levels. The
rooms were connected through a long corridor, which was provided with two circular stairways
at its both ends in order to make connection between the landings of rooms at all levels. There
were doors for outside exit at each landing. One could reach the Canyon climbing some stairs
equipped with fixtures entering the two holes dug into the rock. Nardek found the irrigation and
water supply systems of these people to be very interesting. Those people looked like being
forgotten in that wildness but they were able to adapt themselves so well to such an unfavorable
conditions.
There were over two hundred meters deep circular wells dug behind rooms. Water was
collected in tanks located higher than the rooms level. On the ceiling there was drilling into the
rock connected with the vertical walls of the Canyon. These drillings were made in order to
undertake a part of the tanks flow in case of rising water. There were some bamboo pipes
starting from tanks used, on a side, for bringing water to the locations of stone, especially
designed for people on the corridors. On the other side, they were used for irrigating the
suspended gardens. Small domestic wells were equipped with inclined gutters that directed water
to the outside corridors in a small pond used for watering the animals and then to bamboo pipes
until they reached the runlet from the Canyon.
Irrigation pipes were made of bamboo and fixed on the entire gardens width, they were
provided with holes through which water could come out with pressure that allowed a perfect
irrigation of the area between pipes. Water surplus reached the little runlet at the Canyons base.
Also, there was a room at the Canyons base, especially built for horses and goats. Circular
stairways in front of the rooms were connected with the stables, and animals were going out and
coming in on a large central door. People were going out and coming in on two side doors
bordering the hall. Each door at the Canyons base was very thick and fixed on its threshold by a
metal bar caught inside the door, on the left side. Doors opened outwards and had only inside
fixture. Getyrs had cats and dogs enjoying human attention. During the day, all the doors stood
open but sentinels were flanking the famous building. These sentinels were watching both
Canions base and top.
Women were dealing with housework, while men were practicing archery and riding
techniques. Habitable and uninhabitable buildings within Canyon reached over two kilometers
long with an additional expansion opportunity of about few miles. Once or more than twice a
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week, both men and women gathered and listened to the wise Elmit called Dretasim. About a
thousand people attended the discourse of the wise Elmit. A few days after spy Nardrek left, over
thousand of people gathered at one end of the Canyon, where dozens of stone steps were built in
semicircle formation, and where people could sit and listen to the wise Elmits speeches. These
steps were also a good shield in the way of invaders, and they could be used as a redoubt difficult
to access.
Dretasim: Emperor Stredoks armies will reach us, too. For us, freedom means the essence of
life.
Derza: We will vigorously fight to defend our territory.
Dretasim: We can deal with thousands of people we have against an army of more than ten
thousand people until our supplies end up, which means a few weeks, maybe even two months.
We have arrows and stones for slings that allow us to fight even a month against an army of
about ten thousand people.
Dretasim: I know where the map of underground channels is. It was elaborated by the greatest
Getyr Elmit: the wise Erdin.
Dretasim: There is an energy map, which can be found only by the Getyr brothers. They will be
helped by the big precious energy stones in order to reach it. Underground channels lead us to
our Getyr brothers in the Kingdom of Getyrs, and also to their allies in the Kindom of Samerzes.
We must defend these precious energy stones by our presence here. Precious stones give us
water by their attraction on groundwater sources, attracting clouds above our settlements, they
also provide us moral and physical stability, and, by the success of our philosophy, they
encourage us to believe in Zaltremex, the supreme and unique God we know.
Dretasim: The energy stones light only when people chosen by Zaltremex get near, otherwise
they can not be detected, looking like any ordinary stones.
Dretasim: Our people is chosen by Zaltremex because we are noble, we love the Nature and we
do not groan for the land of others.
Dretasim: Our people is chosen by Zaltremex because we are a very good in fight, we are not
afraid of death and we have always had great military strategists.
Dretasim: The energy of the stone shows me that we will have a big war against Emperor
Stredok.
Dretasim: If we are defeated here, we will lose the energy of the precious stones and the
energetic level in the Kindom of Getyrs, which is situated on the north - west border of the
Stredoks Empire, will descrease. If the Kingdom of Getyrs is conquered, then the Kingdom of
Samerzes will have the same fate, and their disappearance will implicitly lead to the ultimate
evils appearance: THE GREAT EMPIRE OF STREDOK.
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Dretasim: Even if he never finds precious stones, he will move or decimate all Getyrs and after
generation there will be no Getyr to believe Zaltremex. Everyone will be slaves without
personality, culture, and spirituality.
Derza: We need to send people into underground channels to reach our brothers in the Kingdom
of Getyrs.
Dretasim: I was thinking of this when Nardrek spy left. Walking through the canyon I found a
metal bracelet. I'm sure it has a stone or a crystal inside by means of which the Empress
Incensas globe can detect us.
All were astonished because they realized they had to deal with a real war. Their belief, that
represented more than their own life, was at stake.
Dretasim: Therefore, I wanted to see you today, a few days after I found the bracelet, to say that
we must prepare for war. The force of evil is everywhere, but flees from the light path.
Dretasim: These days I have stayed isolated and I have concluded that: our ancestors fought for
the future generations. It is time to show again that our people are chosen by Zaltremex. We have
to show them that we are able to fight for our faith.
Dretasim: The ideal is made for altruistic, megalomania for materialist and science for
intelligent. It is time to show the world that we are altruistic but also intelligent. In order to be
able to live In this Canyon, we had to invent many things. Now it is time to invent fighting
systems to deal with the evil empire: the Emperor STREDOK.
Dretasim: We have three days left to select rigorously five fighters. Women may also be used,
because they are real warriors being able to use the bow better than many men are. We will
select them rigorously.
The following days, leader selected two hundred people but only five of them passed
very difficult tests. They formed a group meant to face great dangers. They had to swim into
lakes inside the caves, climb down the canyon using ropes, cross on the other side of the canyon
using their hands and some pulleys, climb down the canyon with the rope and then enter some
fixed point such as door entry into the Canyon, use the bow and crossbow, throw the knife, throw
stones with a sling, climb rocks, ride horses, throw the spear and, not least, take the philosophical
thinking and military strategy tests elaborated by the wise Elmit Dretasim.
At the end, five Getyrs performed all tests. Because of very difficult tests, only fifteen of them
survived. It was shown that, for achieving great things, death did not scare the Getyrs.
Therefore, there were five competitors left, three men and two women who met the best score
after performing the extremely difficult tests. All were young, extremely energetic and
courageous: Dersaria, Teliria, Stretian, Godraz and Braptez.
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Dersaria was the best sling thrower and she managed to throw the rope to a fixed point, too.
Teliria was the best climber and she was an expert in using the crossbow. Stretian was the best
rider and javelin thrower. Godraz was considered the best at throwing the knife and crossing on
the other side of the canyon using his hands and some pulleys, and Braptez was the best
swimmer and archer. All five formed a great team ready to face all dangers. Braptez and Godraz
were Derzas sons.
Dretasim: The plan is: we must strike the emperor and empress at their home to destroy their
formidable army.
Teliria: Emperor's palace is located in the Kingdom of the Two Rivers.
Teliria: What is the distance between our place and the emperor's palace?
Dretasim: About 25 dristens (a dristen is ten kilometers). Before reaching the palace, you leave
the underground channels and reach the surface. You have to pass through the extraordinary
palace defense system.
Godraz: King moved into the new palace.
Godraz: The emperors new palace is very difficult to conquer.
Dretasim: It is impossible.
Dersaria: They have many warriors. How can we defeat them?
Dretasim: You will use your intelligence and skills.
Stretian: People from Northern Kingdoms are our friends. We must use this friendship.
Dretasim: Yes, you are right. You can ask them for a horse because is your only chance to get
well and in time to our Getyr brothers.
Stretian: How long are our Getyr brothers from us?
Dretasim: About twenty dristens as soon as you get separated from your comrades.
Dretasim: You go through negative fields of Empress Incensa where you will feel like fighting
with anyone. Therefore, the only reliable friends are your two dogs: Egraz and Tertrim, which
will accompany you. You will need their senses. There are many predators around, especially at
night.
Braptez: Emperor's palace is surrounded by water with all sorts of predators. How do we
proceed?
Dretasim: Gates had an ingenious opening mechanism. The control station is provided with a
wooden rectangular surface. All you have to do is to push it. Then, the doors and the bridge open
immediately. Pushing a second time on this surface, the wooden bridge drops, and the gates
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close. But you are the best archer. Palace can be destroyed from inside. It was designed to
withstand attacks from outside, and not from inside.
The Elmit Dretasim presented them his plan. The team needed to find underground
tunnels leading to the North Kingdoms first, because if they had chosen to walk on the surface,
they would had had many chances to meet Stredoks soldiers. The soldiers had already been
ordered to conquer the Canyon. Dretasim had the underground channel map and the palace plan
from an Elmit Getir that had been taken as prisoner and forced to work several years for that
construction. This Elmit escaped and met the Canyon Elmit when the latter was going to attend a
religious ceremony in honor of the great god Zaltremex in the Kingdom of Getyrs.
Dretasim: I have been on this road that you had to walk on ten years ago, when the great
religious ceremony took place. Underground channels were quite well preserved even if they
were intensely used. Nobody knows about their current condition, if they can be used or not.
Dretasim: Once you have left the underground channel, you face a road full of dangers: you
must go through the swamps, climb the mountains, cross mountain rivers, go over the abyss,
fight the kings mercenaries, if necessary.


The Empire and the free kingdoms


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Dretasim: We will go together to the precious stones to convince myself that you are indeed
people chosen by Zaltremex to save the Getyrs. After carefully prepared luggage (clothes,
weapons and food) the first six Getyrs, with Dretasim and Stretians two dogs in the first line,
they started their journey towards the precious stones energetically loaded with good forces
generated by Zaltremex. Each of the six Getyrs were carrying behind a bamboo framework on
which was set a very high resistance hemp cover. Bamboo framework was assembled using very
flexible and waterproof metal rivets.
Getyrs called this systems drepects. On the outside, these drepects had two lateral
compartments for water and a compartment for supporting crossbow or bow. Inside, there were
four compartments: two lateral compartments for arrows (two quivers), a lower compartment for
clothes and an upper compartment for food. Crossbow was caught out in a sleeve made of hemp.
The drepects (knapsacks) covering could be easily uncovered, so that the arrows remained
uncovered and ready to be used. The bow could be folded and was made of three pieces. The two
pieces of wood forming the bow, and where the rope was attached on, were fixed in a metal tube.
The two pieces of wood were protected with a thin sheet of metal bonding metal tube. Thus, the
bow was ready to be used in one minute and could be carried instead of crossbow. The arrows
were made of hazelnuts nurseries that grew on the banks of the stream inside the Canyon.
Arrows empennage was triple and symmetrically arranged, so that the angle between two
empennage was of one hundred and twenty degrees. The arrowheads were made of metal. Their
ends were some kind of tubes that entered the arrow wooden part and could be fixed by a
substance made from plants. That substance could make connection between arrowheads tube
and arrow wooden part. The arrows for crossbows were made in the same way but they were
shorter and thicker than those for bows were.
Clothing was made from hemp and flax for everyone. All wore boots made of plaits of
long and sharp leaves of semi-aquatic plants. Above and inside the boots, a thick sheet of very
durable hemp on both water and land was stuck. Each was sleeping on a mat woven made of the
same material as the boots were, that is long, and sharp leaves of semi-aquatic plants. That mat
or woven surface could be run and attached to the outer drepects. Each of the six had another
new suit and pair of boots in the drepects. They truly needed those clothes for their long and full
of dangers journey that followed.
Each wore a sack made of a mat-like material necessary as protection against arrows.
Their food was some small cubes of pressed wheat, which could not deteriorate even in damp
condition. During these trips, they had to hunt various animals to supplement their food. For
obtaining the fire, each of them had two flints and strings tow soaked in a flammable substance.
They found that substance when they were looking for water inside the Canyon. Each had two
torches and enough tow for lighting at night. Water was carried in one container tube covered
with a hemp cloth. Every fighter had a knife, a curve sword, and many arrowheads used for
clashes with soldiers of the empire and others. Dretasim did not have a crossbow or a bow, but a
stick made of a very hard material treated with a substance, which protect it from moisture. The
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stick was inlaid with sharp energetic precious stones, and the handle was carved with various
geometric figures. The top of the stick was sharpened and made of precious stones.
Although Dretasim was equipped with a stick only, he could handle the bow and crossbow very
well.
After two days' walk, the six Getyrs arrived at the Canyon Mountains.





















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Chapter 2

The underground channels and the precious stones

After about two hours walking through the Canyon Mountains, a huge cauldron with
rocks and snow appeared in front of them. A large and squally stream could be heard at the
Canyons base. When they got near the stream, there was a little lake into the riverbed where the
stream could continue its journey through other lower elevation valleys. They came down to the
lake where they stopped and made sure that nobody followed them. The lake was situated in a
flat area having four symmetrical valleys continued by steep slopes and their lofty peaks.
Dretasim: The underground tunnels start here.
Everybody looked to the left and right and at the slopes. They were looking for a cave or
something similar that could lead them to the underground tunnels. Dretasim smiled and said:
Dretasim: How can a secret be kept?
Dersaria: In great mystery.
Teliria: Well protected.
Dretasim: And where can a secret be protected the most?
Godraz: In sight of all.
Dretasim: Apparently you have not missed my weekly lessons.
Dretasim: Tunnels start under this clear mountain lake. We will have to swim over five meters
in depth, reach a cave, then have a rest, and after continue our journey through an underground
lake. Then we come to a cave where we will see a very dense curtain of water flowing on a wall
surface.
Dretasim: The underground channels stard behind the curtain of water.
Teliria: And do you think we can make it?
Braptez: No doubt about that.
On Braptez's face could be seen a smile and a strong desire to swim in those icy and clear
mountain waters. He was best swimmer.
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Teliria: If you say that we can make it, then I am ready to reach the underground channels.
Dretasim: We all tighten ourselves with rope, including the two dogs, which will have to go
with us. You Braptez, should remain the last to help those who can not swim.
Braptez: Yes, I understand.
Thinking about helping Getyr people made all of them go forward and face difficult tests. They
were aware of such a difficult test they were going to face.
The Elmit Dretasim jumped into the lake first followed by two women, Godraz with a dog and
Braptez with the other dog and Stretian jumped the latter.
Egraz and Tertim were extraordinary dogs. Tertim was completely white, and Egrazs fur had a
gray and white combination. The dogs had swum in other lakes until then. Each of the dogs had
their master's weight, they were obedient and fearless. Tertim was to slip Godrazs hands but it
was recovered and they could reach the first cave safely.
Dersaria and Teliria were very excited, but determined to reach the underground tunnels. Inside
that cave there were some enormous stalagmites and stalactites, often joined together to form
real limestone columns.
Dretasim: Now that we had a short break, we have to pass the underground lake about twenty
meters long. I strongly believe that you can focus to succeed.
They arrived safely in another cave after swimming more than twenty meters into the
underground lake. That last cave really impressed the five Getyrs because it had a huge dome
filled with diamonds which sparkled in the light that came from outside, penetrating through
some small cracks.
Dretasim: These spaces were made the Getyrs who worked in underground channels.
Dretasim went to the lake where they came out, put his hand into the water, and turned to
something. Immediately, a door of the cave wall perfectly concealed opened.
They entered a large room with a domed ceiling. On the rooms walls, something was shining
due to light that came through some small windows carved in stone. It was gold of the best
quality that had been used in decorating the walls. On the walls there were drawing different
geometric shapes, the sun and a river. Young people were amazed that there were other smaller
rooms next to the big one. All rooms were lit through special rectangular shaped places. They
had up to a meter length and no more than five centimeters width. They were built so that rain
and snow could not get, also to keep heat inside and for protection against attackers. There was
an arsenal full of weapons in order to defend the Getyrs builders. Moreover, there was no
moisture in those rooms, and everything assured an optimal living.
Dretasim: All these rooms were used as bedrooms for those who had dug underground tunnels
in the rock. There were rooms for cooking, treatment in case of accidents, physiological need,
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and physical training, conferences of all kinds, to venerate the god Zaltremex, to feast and to
prepare architectural and engineering plans. Food for builders was brought by Getyr hunters
exactly on the road we arrived here. If the builders remained without food, they had to hunt
themselves.
Dretasim: Getyrs riches didnt consist in diamonds and gold on the walls which could be found
in large amounts in other caves.
Dretasim: Getyrs riches are: nature, mountains, and waters brotherhood, veneration of god
Zaltremex, philosophical discussions, real fellowship between Getyrs, the optimism, and
steadfastness of our people.
Dretasim: We should eat and rest well because tomorrow we are going to walk on a difficult
road. Each one of you will take a diamond and a piece of gold, which will be useful in our
struggle against grabby and materialist people from Stredoks empire.
Dretasim: If Stredok knew, especially empress Incensa, about our wealth, they would demolish
all the mountains and send all their men to carry the wealth in their palace.
Dretasim slept in the large room, brothers in one room, and women in another room. Stretian
took the dogs and found a place to sleep on the corridor between rooms.
They left early in the morning.
Dretasim: Today we have to get the precious stones which means that we will walk for about
fourteen hours.
Braptez: Will we go through water?
Dretasim: Yes, we will.
Dretasim: We will see the Silver Falls, the Dark Bridge, the Circles Scale, the Eagle Dome, the
Cave of Crocodiles, and the Cave of Sharks.
The six Getyrs and the two dogs began their journey early in the morning with their torches lit.
The first was Dretasim, followed by Stretian and his dogs, Dersaria, Teliria, Godraz, and Braptez
the latter. Everybody was bounded in a very thick and strong a rope because there were enough
chances for one to slip into the many next crevices. Getyrs who had worked hundreds of years in
those tunnels used explosives, too. If the substance in which the torches were soaked had been
gathered in a sealed place, it could have formed so many gas to produce a powerful explosion
used by Getyrs for rock dislocation. Getyrs also used traditional hammer and tools. After an
hour's walk, they reached the Silver Falls, which were actually five waterfalls that poured their
waters into a great cave. The tunnel ended in the cave, but another started at a higher level.
Dretasim: We need to pass through the water curtain of the largest waterfall and climb up some
stairs leading to the other end of the tunnel.
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Once past the waterfall they saw hundreds of small, wet and slippery steps carved into the rock.
The only support for those steps was their raised outer edges allowing the ascension. The last
steps were built above the waterfall. They ended with a lounge and observation place made of
wood treated with a waterproof substance.
That was the explanation for their resistance to moisture hundred years in that cave. An arrow
was launched by Teliria to see if she could aim one of massive wood place of resting and
observation. It was an useful exercise for the Getyrs.
Teliria, the best climber and crossbow user, climbed the stairs first. Having her torch
attached to the backpack, Teliria rapidly ascended the stairs. Stretian with one of the two dogs
anchored with the rope were following her. The other dog was carried away by the Godrazs
rope, then Dersaria, Dretasim, and finally Braptez followed.
Their climbing was hampered by the last stages lacking the outer edge, which made it
impossible to climb. In these circumstances, Teliria removed from her drepect another thinner
and shorter rope, tied an arrow, and aimed the wooded place for rest and observation. Thus,
Teliria climbed the first and everybody followed her. The resting place was delectation. Then,
the Getyrs continued their journey to the Dark Bridge. After an hour of walking, they reached the
Dark Bridge, a fabulous several hundred meters width building. It was the link between the two
tunnels and was about half meter width. As the waters down the hillside had eroded it, in some
places was the bridge was up to ten centimeters width. They anchored themselves again,
including dogs, and continued their walk on the bridge of stone. Bridge linked the tunnel they
had came to the one they had to cover. Bridge had more than ten meters height and, at its base a
river was flowing rapidly. At that moment, Dretasim took the lead being followed by the two
women, Stretian with the dogs, Godraz and Braptez. When crossing the first half of the bridge,
Teliria could not keep her balance anymore and fell, pulling Dersaria down, too. Men were able
to catch the bridge with their hands to regain normalcy. Towards the end of the bridge, one dog
slipped but the problem was resolved successfully. When entering the tunnel they stopped and
ate some of the wheat cubes and changed the tow used for torches. After another hour of walking
through the tunnel, they reached a circular scale that was fixed on the right side of a huge caves
wall. The circular scale was their only chance to reach the next tunnel. When all were climbing
the circular staircase, suddenly a spring rose from the rock scale and threw Teliria off the stairs
violently. The others caught her promptly and brought her back on the circular stairs. After
another hour of walking, they realized the tunnel had a semicircle shape and, at a time, they
reached the top of a mountain looking like a huge dome of rock. The tunnel was lit naturally
through some rectangular vertically arranged spaces built by Getyrs as strong currents in that
area blew out the torches. Passing that naturally lit section, they walked in the dark about another
fifty meters and reached the end of the tunnel. When they believe they escaped the adventures,
they realized that things became complicated. A very deep crevasse of fifteen meters wide
separated them from the next tunnel. Dretasim come up with some explanations.
Dretasim: The Eagle Dome is a natural stone dome like a cave whose arched ceiling has some
18
areas where the natural light penetrates. Through these spaces, eagles could penetrate building
their nest inside the dome. For that reason it is called the Eagle Dome.
Dretasim: Tunnel ends with a bumper that guides the passenger toward the left side where a
flight of stairs links the two tunnels. This is the only way to get over crevasse that opens in front
of us.
As they had no time to lose, they anchored themselves with ropes again and climbed the
stairs built into the rock. Dersaria was the latter. About two hours walking, they felt themselves
overwhelmed by a warm, stuffy air, and realized that the tunnel was come to a desert area. As
they advanced, the air became increasingly difficult to breathe, and as it was not enough, on the
tunnel walls they saw all kinds of poisonous insects. When the torches were to burn down
because of the lack of oxygen, tunnel opened into a huge room with luxuriant vegetation. Dozens
of snakes, insects, and even birds were living in that place. In fact that the room was a cave with
very high vertical walls. Next tunnel they had to reach was built on the wall in front of them.
Only the caves basis was rectangular. The rest of it was circular and at the other end one could
see the sky and thousands of birds flying and searching for food. There were springs flowing and
trees growing on the rock. The two tunnels were separated by a swampy area, about ten meters
long.
Dretasim: You must launch fire arrows into the next tunnel to see if there are giant snakes.
These snakes are highly venomous and are almost twenty meters length.
Teliria: I must aim one of the trees above the tunnel to pass on the other symmetrically placed
tunnel by the means of this rope. First launch fire arrows to light up the tunnel.
Getyrs arrows lighted the tunnel and nothing dangerous inside could be seen.
Dretasim: Does everybody wear protective vests?
Godraz: Why?
Dretasim: Because on the upper parts of the caves there are cave people who live and hunt in
this cave. Sometimes they go outside the cave looking for food and herbs. They say many
diamonds were hidden in various caves of this huge cavern. They hunt and fight with poisoned
arrows tubes and take the venom from venomous snakes or frogs living on these slopes.
Teliria launched the first arrow tied with a rope and aimed a tree above the tunnel. As Teliria was
the best crossbow shooter, the arrow reached its target. The rope could not to touch the ground
because of vegetation. Dersaria passed first without any problem. The other end of the rope was
tied to an arrow then the arrow was launched into the bush near the tunnel were other Getyrs
were waiting. The two dogs were tight up with the rope and sent towards the other tunnel where
Godraz and Stretian caught them. Everybody had the crossbows ready and was waiting for
Dretasim, too. Before Dretasim jumped towards the tunnel using the rope, he had been attacked
with arrows launched by cave people. The other Getyrs launch their arrows toward cave people
hurting several of them. The cave people wanted to hit and break the rope so that Dretasim could
19
not pass; therefore, the rope remained near other Getyrs that could protect it. Once, Dretasim
took part in a war against caves people who fight Getyrs, when they built the underground
tunnels. Dretasim caused them much loss, so they fanatically wanted to destroy him. With the
drepect above his head, Dretasim jumped towards other Getyrs using the rope. Many arrows
were launched by cave people towards the Getyrs in the same time. A few meters before
reaching the tunnel, a giant snake appeared in front of Dretasim and prepared to bite him by
inoculating its venom. Dretasim drew his sword immediately and wounded the snake but, in the
same time, Teliria sent her arrow and hit it in the back. Dretasim reached the tunnel with plenty
of arrows stuck in his drepect and protective vest. After having a well-deserved rest, Getyrs and
their dogs went further to find the precious energetic stones.
Godraz: Are the cave people going to follow us?
Dretasim: I know that they are afraid of giant snakes, but you never know. We should be
careful. Stretian and the two dogs will be the last in order to be able to detect any movement.
The air was so muggy that the Getyrs could barely manage to walk and, in the absence of
oxygen, their torches were almost out of fire. The more they advanced into the tunnel the more
they felt refreshed air. After about an hour walking, they came next to a bridge they needed to
cross. The bridge was placed in a large room called the Cave of Crocodiles. It was made of stone
and passed through the center of the room; on the both sides of the bridge there were supporting
bars made of stone. This rectangular-shaped area was crossed by a river. A ray of light on the
right could be seen, but left side was not illuminated by anything.
Dretasim: This water is full of very aggressive crocodiles. This river comes from the delta of
the southern great river in the Kingdom of the Two Rivers. Crocodiles can come here and leave
whenever they want, but only here they can easily catch fish.
In the light of torches, there were dozens of eyes waiting to hunt the Getyrs.
Dretasim: We must go on the bumpers because the water level rose and reached the bridge. It's
too risky to go on the bridge because there are major opportunities of being attacked by
crocodiles.
Being an expert in crossing the narrow places, Dersaria linked by Stretian with a rope, was the
first. Teliria and Godraz followed. Everybody prepared their crossbows. The bar was wet and
they had to walk carefully not to slip. The first crossing the bridge was lighting in front of the file
and the second one was lighting at the water surface to force crocodiles not to attack them.
Crocodiles often attacked at the front of the file but without success.
The last in the file were Dretasim and Braptez. Each had his dog taken backwards on the drepect.
At the middle of the bridge, when Dretasim was walking a large crocodile suddenly jumped out
of the water, took his backpack and pulled him into the water. Braptez jumped off the bridge to
catch the rope, but his dog jumped into the water and, demonstrating an extraordinary courage,
bit the crocodile. Because of pain, the crocodile let Dretasim off. Few moments later, Dretasim
and the dog reached the bridge and broke into run. Getyrs managed to avoid many crocodiles but
20
the dogs rear leg was injured pretty badly. Getyrs arrows hit some crocodiles. Dretasim looked
after the dog, bandaging its leg and treating it with plants that healed it quickly.
The Cave of Shark was the last obstacle before reaching the precious stones.
After about three hours walk through the tunnel, they reached a cave with vertical walls. Getyrs
though they found the seashore because they were walking on the sand washed by waves. It
looked exactly like a beach.
Dretasim: Water reaches us through the opening in the rock that all of you can see. It is the
Terscan sea lying between the two largest rivers of the kingdom. Water dug out the rock until it
reached the cave.
Braptez: But where is the tunnel?
Dretasim: Behind that large stone located at more than ten meters high.
The young Getyrs were disconcerted because they did not understand how to get there.
Dretasim: Only one of us can penetrate the opening through which sea water enters and exits.
Water withdrawal speed is very high and only a very good swimmer may pass through the tunnel
created by water.
Stretian: I will be that one.
Dretasim: I agree.
Dretasim: When you exit the tunnel carried by water, you will see a handle of rock on the right
to cling to. You must resist water that tends to lead you into the Cave of Sharks. Afterwards, you
will climb down vertically through a circular tunnel and find some stairs. There will be enough
light in that area. If you do not catch the handle, you wont have any chance to succeed because
water will carry you into the Cave of Sharks.
Braptez entered the water, just as the water receded. He had his crossbow ready. He was able to
catch the stone handle with one hand exactly in time, because there were two sharks just behind
him were, ready to attack. He hit one shark with an arrow and hurt another with the sword. Thus,
Braptez reached the stairs. He threw a rope for other Getyrs and all of them were able to reach
the tunnel that led to the precious energetic stones.
After Braptez had helped others to get to the tunnel that led to the precious energetic stones, the
opening was struck by a powerful wave propagated from the Cave of the Sharks causing
dislocations of rocks on the slopes of the cave. They were lucky. The tunnel was very difficult to
access. To go ahead, they needed to catch the metal bar fixed in the tunnel ceiling using their
hands because of very deep crevasses below. The dogs, Tertim and Egraz, were transported by
the two brothers and bound together with a rope. The two women, Dersaria and Teliria, tried to
cross the tunnel alone, but due to wet bars and fatigue, Dersaria slipped and fell into the crevasse
pulling Teliria down, too. They were astonished because the safety rope that tied them hanged a
21
cliff at about five meters below the crossing bars. Being an expert in climbing, Teliria managed
to catch and fix Dersarias rope by a rock. The walls were vertical, but had small irregularities,
which allowed Teliria to climb towards the crossing bars. Godraz and Braptez had already
passed. Dretasim and Stretian were waiting to go into the next tunnel, looking very carefully to
see what was going to happen with the two women. They were ready to give them a hand if
necessary. The womens torches were still flickering and that helped Teliria to climb. Once
Teliria reached the metal bars, she removed a rope from her drepect, attached it on the bar, and
directed it towards Dersaria who anchored the rope waiting to be towed towards the bars.
Braptez immediately came to help Teliria. Together, they managed to bring Dersaria close to the
metal bar. Finally, they reached the tunnel where Godraz and Tertim were waiting for them.
Stretian, Dretasim and the dog Egraz were the last to pass the metal bars fixed on the ceiling of
the tunnel. Bars was smeared with an oily substance to protect them from moisture. Dretasim
was the last to pass and he had to smear them again to keep them operational. Egraz struggled
and was detached from the rope he was tied with falling down into the crevasse. They could
hardly stopped Tertim jumping into the abyss after his brother Egraz. All were very upset and
not able to speak about anything.
Dretasim: There are small chances for Egraz to survive. There are sharp rocks below but also an
underground river related to an oblique tunnel.
Dretasim: Egraz's only chance, if beyond the cliffs, is to cling to that tunnel. Many Getyrs that
had fallen into the abyss survived only by entering that tunnel.
Stretian: I'm sure he will survive.
Dretasim: We must help him.
Teliria: How?
Dretasim: We can call his name, talking loudly and making him bark because this will oblique
tunnel will meet our tunnel in about half an hour walk. We should hurry because the water will
bring Egraz into the tunnel in about ten minutes.
While running, the Getyrs were making an indescribable hullabaloo and Tertim was barking
continuously. After fifteen minutes of running, they could hear Tertim barking again. Happy,
Egraz was waiting for his master. Everybody was happy, including Dretasim that had always
been a sober man, screamed of joy. They were spiritually closed to Egraz, they believed that he
would save himself because: the ideal of fight for justice creates the ideal of unity. All agreed
when Dretasim said: The stairs of trust could only be climbed by fighting for it.
Being very happy to meet Egraz again, the Getyrs decided to go further for the precious
energetic stones.
22
Dretasim: To get to these stones, which represent the Getyrs energy generator, we must pass
through many other obstacles: the death water, the hanger plants, and the tunnel of sharp rocks.
After fifteen minutes of walking through the tunnel, they found several steps descending to a
water basin and then ascending back to the tunnel. The basin was naturally lit by two tunnels dug
into the rock and arranged symmetrically. Due to light, there were all sorts of aquatic creatures
swarming into the water. On the outside, the basin was flanked by two other deep basins of
underground springs.
Dretasim: Nobody touches the water!
Teliria: Why?
Dretasim: Although up to half a meter, there is a species of fish brought by the Getyrs inside the
basin which releases an energy that kills any creature.
It was a species of fish which releases a very strong energy. Getyrs called them flash fish.
Dersaria: How to we pass through this basin?
Dretasim: Can you see the little tunnel dug into the ceiling of the tunnel we are staying now?
Godraz: Yes.
Dretasim: There we must fix a rope on the cylinder built in the tunnel ceiling.
Braptez: Cant we fix a rope on the arrow and launch it through the stone cylinder?
Dretasim: The arrow must catch the rope after being launched, not only to pass through the
cylinder.
Dretasim: The only chance is to launch a stone bound by a rope. Dersaria will handle this.
Getyrs bound a rope to a rock and Dersaria launched it accurately. She aimed the cylinder, but
the stopped in the middle of it. Using other stone, Desaria hit the stone bounded with a rope and
managed to pass the rope through the cylinder and wrapped it firmly. So, the Getyrs could pass
through the water basin.
Stretian was the last in file, but during the passing the rope torn off because of the sharp edges of
stone cylinder. Stretian fell with his feet into the basin.
A second later, Godraz and Braptez rushed to take him out, but at the same time, the underwater
flash fish appeared. He was removed from the basin, quite seriously affected. His boots were
totally destroyed and his legs were very wounded, specially the left leg.
Dretasim: Stretian is alive due to his sturdy structure but also to the precious stones that are less
than two hours and half walk from here.
23
Dretasim: We stop here overnight, but tomorrow we will pass through other obstacles in our
way to reach the precious stones. But we must not give up. Stones will give us energy.
Dretasim's plants had miraculous healing effects for Stretian. His two dogs guarded him all night
giving him warmth and energy. Stretian was guarded all night long. They made the turn,
Dretasim first, then Teliria and Dersaria, followed by Braptez and Godraz. Rope dropped into
water was destroyed by electrical power emitted by the flash fish. Two torches were lit all night
and when natural light illuminated the basin, Dretasim woke up the others. Miraculously Stretian
recovered himself, but Godraz and Braptez carried his drepect. Following they lider Dretasim,
the Getyrs started their journey to the hanger plants. After more than fifteen minutes walking
through the tunnel, they reached a very high cave with thousands of lianas fixed into the ground
but also into the cave ceiling. On the walls, there were dozens of holes through which direct
sunlight penetrated. To reach the next tunnel, they had to go through this thicket of lianas.
Dretasim: These lianas in front of us are over one hundred meters high. They should not be cut
or destroyed because they segregate a very cloggy substance, then, instantaneously they retreat
themselves to the ceiling of the cave becoming like spirals. These lianas are extremely rough and
come off hard when sticking to any creature or object. After becoming like spirals, they cannot
be cut or destroyed because they calcify.
They started walking among these dangerous lianas avoiding any impact with them so that they
remain intact. Teliria saw some beautiful flowers lying on the lianas base. She was very
enchanted and bent down to look them closer. The handle of her sword was caught by a liana
forcing it to leave the sheath. Teliria did not notice the liana between the sheath and handle and
wanted to move it away. At that moment, the sword cut the liana and, sticking to her hand, rose
Teliria up.
Dretasim: We can rid of this liana only using fire and water.
Dersaria: But how?
Dretasim: We need to fire the place liana stuck to Teliria then pour some water on. It is not
easy.
Braptez: How can we get to it?
Dretasim: We tie a rope nearest that liana, and then cut it. The liana will segregate a cloggy
substance and finally will take the spiral form.
Dretasim: We must find a liana that will lead one of us near Teliria. Then, without fear, we can
bear against the spiral shape lianas rings to help Teliria detach.
Godraz: I go.
Dretasim: I agree.
24
After Godraz had fixed a rope on that liana near Teliria, the others Getyrs tied his both hands
with rope to resist the spiral shape lianas spring after cutting. If only one hand had been tied,
the, the liana could have dislocated Godrazs shoulder. Liana that caught Teliria on was smaller
so it didnt have such a great force of withdrawal. The liana tying up Godraz was thick, so the
jerk should have ben cushioned by both hands.
After cutting the liana, Godraz came close to Teliria, loosened the rope from his hands, then
swept a flammable substance over the liana and fired it up. After suffering some burns to her
hand, Teliria managed to break the liana and remained supported by a rope linked to other liana
that supported Godraz. Teliria caught the rope that Godraz was anchored with and came down to
the other Getyrs. She burned his right hand, but Dretasim used his plants and ancient remedies to
helped Teliria to recover.
After about two hours walking, they came to a sloping tunnel and saw some lights at its end.
Dretasim: As you can see, there are come lights in the valley: diamonds and gold that reflect the
natural light. These are diamonds of stones full of energy. We have to face the most dangerous
obstacles to get these precious stones, I mean we have to across the sharp rocks and face the cave
men.
Dersaria: But we have already faced the cave men.
Dretasim: Its true, but now they can shoot their arrows towards us in open field, and, in the
same time, we have to climb down the sharp rocks that are very dangerous.
Godraz: We can choose to climb down by rope because its faster.
Dretasim: Using the cord in this situation could be very dangerous.
Teliria: Why?
Dretasim: The cave men could attack us with arrows and stones. Even if by some miracle we
get rid of cave people, we will not be able to escape the cave eagles because cave people grew
them. These eagles are not afraid of anything and are very ferocious. They will probably attack
our ropes and supports.
Teliria: Why cave men hate us so much?
Dretasim: Because we started many wars against them and we always won.
Godraz: But why did we start wars against cave men?
Dretasim: I have already explained you. They opposed the construction of tunnels.
Stretian: But Getyrs tunnels should not bother cave men.
25
Dretasim: Yes, youre right. But underground tunnels are built in their territories. In the past,
the Getyrs and cave men were friends and allies. They fought together against Esdrecs, a
barbarous, invasive people coming from south. They say the king Stredok comes from this
nation.
Braptez: So, we expect him to destroy us and our new energy generators and even forcing the
Getyrs slaves not to have children any more or to have children with the barbers. Obviously, the
Emperor hates the Getyrs!
Dretasim: It is true that many Getyrs have died or became slaves of the Emperor.
Teliria: But we are not all his slaves. There are also free Getyrs determined to fight for their
freedom and brothers.
Teliria said all these words having tears in her eyes because, for a Getyr, freedom means the life
itself.
Dretasim: The Getyr was born to wander the mountains on horseback or on foot, listening to the
murmur of the springs, to admire the eagle in flight, to hunt in dark forests, to build all kinds of
houses, to cultivate wheat on the fertile plains and listen to the Elmyths philosophies. Emperor
Stredok with Empress Incensa want to destroy us by taking us all we received by our God
Zaltremex and the blessed nature. I think you understand that we still have one option: to face the
empire of Emperor Stredok.
All were deeply impressed by old Elmyth Dretasim. On their face could be read the Getyrs
endless desire to face Stredok and his empire.
Dretasim: We can see the cave with precious stones. There you will find two tunnels, one on the
left and one on the right.
Dretasim: The tunnel on the left will take us to the North Kingdoms and further to the Getyrs
Kingdom. The other tunnel will take us to the palace of Emperor Stredok.
Getirii listened carefully to Dretasims words.
Dretasim: We start descending through the left side of the mountain slope as far from the cave
mens arrows as possible. It is the most dangerous road because there are many cliffs to be
passed, but here we are best protected from cave men in case they are standing on the right side,
as I knew them to do. We will be defended by cliffs.
Dretasim: Do not descend all at once. When one goes down, others must have the crossbows
prepared. If something happens to me, you know where to go: Stretian will go and talk to Elmyth
Ternes in the Getyrs Kingdom, and others go inside to destroy the Emperor Stredoks palace.
26
Dretasim: For us, the Getyrs, the Empress Incensa is the most destructive. She knows about
energy generators and wants to destroy them because that could destroy our nation for thousands
of years.
Braptez: How could she destroy us as long as we have our mountains, habits, and traditions?
Dretasim: Because our only invincible connection is the connection with our God Zaltremex. If
Emperor desired, he could destroy all kingdoms, but he cannot ever beat us as long as we have
the generators. The essence of Getyrs spirit goes on and other leaders will be able to defeat the
dynasty of Emperor Stredok.
Dretasim: As I said before, you can see lights in the cave that are not coming from energetic
stones, but from the thousands of diamonds and pieces of gold fixed into the precious stones that
are shining into the sunlight. For Getyrs, the true value of diamonds and gold is nothing. Gold is
valuable for people, for Nature is just a simple item. Gold reflects light, the Sun creates it.
Hence, our relationship with nature.
Dretasim: Each of you, when reach the room with energetic stones, will receive one stone that
will be detached from the wall of the room.
Dretasim: That is the stone you must carry with you on any trip, full of danger or not, as I have
mine. These stones will light your path and help you in need.
Dretasim: These stones will disclose the human soul: green with golden flashes show cunning,
blue with silver flashes show anger and destruction, and blue shows the goodness.
Dretasim: If you get there without me and five stones falls, it means that I am well. If another
falls, it means that I am in a very difficult situation or dead.
Dretasim: The freedom of other Getyrs and kingdoms occupied by Emperor Stredok depend on
you.
After Dretasims speech, Getyrs started to climb down believing in the force of justice.
The descending was very difficult. Teliria was the first to descend and ten minutes later she
reached the golden stones. The second was Stretian with his dogs. In the same time, many arrows
and stones hit the Getyrs. Stones and arrows hit from all sides and it was only a matter of time
until they would have killed or wounded.
They had nowhere to hide. Seeing all these, Dretasim came out and with a thundering voice said:
Dretasim: I am Dretasim, the Elmyth of the Geryts. You want me. I am your prisoner now, but I
ask you to leave the others because they are innocent.
The only the silence followed for several minutes. Nobody hit the Getyrs anymore. Then a
massive man coming from above said:
27
My name is Gratsim and I am the chief of the northern cave people.
Gratsim: After years of war I finally caught you, Dretasim. You will pay for our suffering and
humiliation.
Dretasim: I am ready to take full responsibility and pay for it.
Dretasim: Let young Getyrs go further because of your freedom will depend on. They will leave
their crossbows and go to the energy stones that, as you well know, light in the presence of
Getyrs only. And, after moments of silence, Gratsim spoke again. The Getyrs were calm and
looked at them proudly.
Gratsim: You, Dretasim, will receive a scale and get to the rest of us. The others are free to go
to your rocks loaded with energy. These stones have no value for us. We have plenty of gold and
diamonds, even more than you.
Dretasim: These energy stones are helping all of us. Let others go and then I will come to you.
Dretasim: You, my Getyrs go ahead and do not look back. I know you'll succeed. I'm very
proud of you.
Teliria, Dersaria, Stretian, Braptez and Godraz and with their two dogs continued their journey to
the room with the energy stones. The cliffs of the oblique tunnel were very difficult to across, but
they finally reached the room with precious energetic stones.
Getyrs were amazed. On the floor, there were giant stones and on wall they were smaller. The
room ceiling was plated with flat stones. On the left wall of the room, there were a few small
windows where sunlight entered. This light revealed thousands of diamonds and gold pieces that
were attached to those stones. Many wanted to have these diamonds and golden stones,
especially the Empress Incensa. She could make herself a lot of jewels of these natural riches!
Getyrs were not interested in this fabulous wealth. They were more evolved. At that moment,
they were waiting for the light of the precious, energetic stones, as they were told by the Elmyth
Dretasim.
Teliria: Put all the torches off! Here we need only our inner light, the Getyrs light.
Immediately after the torches were put off, stones began to shine a blue light. The hall was
round. In the center of the hall there were the big stones, others fixed on the walls that looked
like chandeliers. On the ceiling, the stones were arranged just like a map of the occupied and free
kingdoms. On these maps, there were drawn in blue with silver flashes the areas occupied by the
Emperor. The Emperors palace was positioned on a green area with golden flashes. The
Kingdom of the Two Rivers, with sparkling silvery blue dominated the map. The Kingdom of
Getyrs and the Kingdom of Samerzes were represented by a blue color meaning that the Emperor
Stredok did not occupy them. Empires darkness slowly encompassed all kingdoms, but there
were also free Getyrs that could defeat Stredok and his queen. Suddenly, the the energetic stones
lost their light and a liquid substance of the same color started to leak out. On the hall ceiling, the
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maps of the two Kingdoms became blue with silver flashes in their southern border. Stunned by
what they were seeing, the Getyrs understood that imperial armies began conquering the free
kingdoms. Substance that trickled along rocks signified people crying because their physical and
spiritual suffering. It was a sad spectacle, but also a fascinating one. Sitting in a semicircle, the
Getyrs watched that fascinating presentation. The two dogs sat quietly at the entrance of that
fabulous room. Suddenly, five extremely bright energic stones separated from the walls and
reached each Getyrs feet. The youg Getyrs had no idea about what happed, but each stone was
meant for their souls. The Getyrs were waiting longer for another rock to fall, but that did not
happen and they understood that Dretasim was alive. Each getir took his stone and placed in a
secure pocket. Energy stones were to be useful. Meanwhile, Dretasim climbed the ladder to the
cave men and, after passing through a short tunnel, he reached a huge hall. On its walls there
were: swords, crossbows, bows and arrows, spears , swords, harness for horses, various carpets
made up from hemp with brightly colored geometric patterns, cups and plates beautifully
decorated. Many of these things were taken away from the Getyrs and exhibited as trophies.
Four rectangular tables put together were forming a square and represented the table of princes
and wise men. Dretasim was sitting alone on a wooden chair at one side of that table. Even if
they hated him, cave people treated Dretasim with respect, as he was the great Elmyth of the
Getyrs.
Gratsim: Finally, we have made you our prisoner.
Dretasim: I have given myself up as a prisoner, but I was not defeated. I did so to save the
young Getyrs, to help them destroy the Emperor and connect with our brothers in the Kingdom
of Getyrs.
Gratsim: We cannot be conquered as nobody can ever reach us.
Dretasim: If imperial armies ever find about you, they will destroy the whole mountain and
reach you. Remember that you live near the Getyrs energetic stones and the Empress wants to
destroy them at any costs.
At a given moment, Dretasim took out of his pocket a stone lighting just like the Getyrs
energetic stones. A smile appeared on his sober face. He knew that young people have the
energetic stones.
Gratsim: You will be judged by cave people.
Dretasim: I am waiting for your trial.
Dretasim: I expect from you to understand that the Getyrs are not your most pressing problem.
They are not your worse enemies. Morally speaking, I made a mistake when I had built
underground tunnels on your territory, but our Elmyths had predicted hundreds of years before,
that a large empire of evil would destroy any nation, any free man.
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Dretasim: If there had been not underground tunnels, we couldnt have reached our Getyrs
brothers in order to destroy the Imperial Palace.
Gratsim: We are not interested on the Emperor.
Dretasim: But what else then?
Dretasim: Staying hidden in some caves does not mean you are a free people. What about
knowing other civilizations and progressing?
All leaders frowned upon him, feeling that they were not as evolved as Getyrs, and perhaps other
nations were.
Cave men were average height, wiry and excellent fighters. They wore animal furs and had
straight and short swords with metal handles engraved with diamonds, tubes with arrows and
slings with stones. Getyrs were more evolved, but somewhere they had something in common
with cave people.
Dretasim: When others suffer, what you do? Dont you fight against the enemies?
Dretasim: I heard cave men are brave and courageous. We now have the chance to become
friends again as we were in the past and to fight together against the evil empire.
Everybody was thinking about what Dretasim said.
Dretasim: Getirii asked many times to make peace with you, but every time you refused. If you
had agreed, technically you could be more developed as you were forced to collaborate with
people from all kingdoms, even if they were oppressed by the king. It would had been better for
all of you.
Dretasim: Together we can defeat Emperor Stredok. I felt the energy fluctuation inside the
energetic stones and I realized that the king began the conquest of the Getyrs Kingdom.
Dretasim: Basically, the underground tunnels do not bother you at all. In contrary, they ought to
make us become allies. By the means of these tunnels, we should develop a continuous flow of
goods and civilizations between Getyrs and cave people. We were part of the same civilization
once, and one example is that we speak almost the same language. Its a pity that we were
separated. We now have a chance of reconciliation.
Dretasim: I wait for your decision.
After several minutes of consultation, Gratsim said:
Gratsim: Yes, we have retreated into the caves because our hearts were too proud to accept the
peace with you. We lost all wars with you, the Getyrs, and we wanted to defeat you just once.
Dretasim: It's time to win a war with us, not against us.
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Gratsim: Even if we live into the caves, we go out quite often for hunting and sometimes we
trade. It is true that, since when the Emperor came into power, we have not done any trade. Since
Stredok conquered almost all kingdoms, we have been forced to live at the subsistence level; we
feel like our souls are deteriorating every day more, that we are not warriors of yore.
Gratsim: All our warriors and wise men have decided that we must fight alongside of Getyrs
and other free nations to defeat our common enemy: the Emperor Stredok.
Gratsim an Dretasim shook their hands manfully and agreed to begin preparations for war.
Dretasim: Incensa knows about the energetic precious stones and wants to destroy them at any
price. We call them precious because they are embedded with diamonds and gold of the highest
quality.
Dretasim: I have to go back to my Getyrs in the canyon to help them prepare for war.
Gratsim: You do not have to go personally. You just have to write them a note and we will send
them you message through our specially trained birds. We used to catch or buy birds of passage,
and we trained them. Then, they went back with the notes written in areas were born or where
their nests were. We have some birds on your Canyon area. So, you just write it and we will send
it by a bird.
Dretasim: It is a great help for me and Getyrs from the Canyon.
Dretasim: Now, I must get to the hall with the energetic stones to talk with the young Getyrs.
After half an hour walking, Dretasim reached the Getyrs who needed his guidance. They were
very surprised when they saw Dretasim. After he had told them that cave men joined their
struggle, they became even more decided regarding their mission.
Dretasim: You, Stretian, go to Elmyth Ternes and tell him to withdraw from the imperial troops
and take his people, who are not fighters, in the Silver Mountains where there are many caves.
Tell him to lead soldiers to the Circular Citadel symmetrically built on the walls of Wolves
Canyon. The Getyrs had a great respect for wolves and eagles. This canyon is the only biggest
obstacle in front of the imperial troops. If we loose these cities, the Emperor will get to other
precious energetic stones very similar to those we have here. Therefore, Ternes must send hid
messengers to the Samerzes that have a chance to keep their kingdom free, if they send their
troops to fight alongside the Getyrs. I shall give you some documents containing the instruction
we spoke about.
Dretasim: You with your dogs must reach our brothers, the Getyrs.
Dretasim: You, Teliria, Dersaria, Godraz and Braptez, when you have exited the short tunnel,
walk about eighty miles, until you reach the Stredoks Imperial Palace. The palace is provided
with three protections. The last wall of defense is surrounded by a huge ditch defense and can be
passed by the means of two opposite folding bridges. For many years, architects, engineers, and
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slaves at the Emperors court have made superhuman efforts to finish this megalomaniac
building.
With an ironic smile on his face, Dretasim said: We must help them to destroy the building.
Dretasim: At the end of the tunnel you will find explosives that the Getyrs were digging tunnels
with. Also, you'll find arrows and crossbows, metal objects used for cliff climbing, and other
things that will help you in battle.
Everybody looked on the ceiling of the hall and saw the imperial armies advancing on Getyrs
free territory. If the Getyrs Kingdom is conquered there will be no chance for the free world.
Dretasim: God Zaltremex be with you!
Stretian took farewell of Teliria, Dersaria, Braptez and Godraz and began his journey to the
Getyrs Kingdom.
After about two hours walikg, Teliria, Dersaria, Braptez and Godraz reached the end of the
tunnel. There they found everything they heard about from Dretasim. They found arrowheads
that could penetrate the stone if launched from crossbows, metal rings with systems of fixture in
stone and clay containers with adhesive substance. After taking some necessary things, the
Getyrs climbed down dropped one hundred meters on a sloping tunnel and came across a river
basin.
Godraz: We must find a way of getting out of the tunnel. The exit must be somewhere in the
basin in front of us.
Teliria launched an arrow pointing and then penetrating the rock. Also, using a special
extremely hard stone, she fixed a metal ring into the oblique tunnel wall.
Braptez: Me and Godraz will enter the basin to look for the exit. You support us with two ropes
and metal rings fixed in the tunnel walls should support ropes themselves. The brothers entered
the water basin. Godraz went left and was supported by Teliria and Braptez went right and was
supported by Dersaria.
Godraz came out first and said that there was a strong underground spring on his side, but no
tunnel to exit. Braptez was still looking for the tunnel, when Dersaria suddenly felt a jerk then
the rope that pulled her into the water. Godraz and Teliria immediately jumped to help her and
pulled the rope. They could barely get Braptez out of water. Later, he said:
There is a basin inside the tunnel by the means which we could pass into a lake or river.
Velocity within the basin is very high. If you were not here with me, I could be pulled by the
water flow.
The Getyrs decided to enter the water supported by a rope. It was a wise choice. They were
ready to enter the basin and finally go on earth after days of traveling through the tunnels.
Godraz and Teliria entered the water first. Tunnel they had to pass through was quite small,
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much angled, and completely filled with cold and clear water. The two Getyrs, Godraz and
Teliria quickly passed through underwater tunnel and reached a lake where they were forced to
swim at least ten feet to the surface. When reaching the water surface, they took a deep breath
and noticed that the lake was surrounded by mountains with steep walls. Getyrs observed
sentinels every twenty meters on the banks. They were the Emperor's soldiers. Thus, its an
important source of water to be defended. Godraz and Teliria were lucky enough because there
were big stones fallen from the slopes, which helped them to not be seen by soldiers.
Teliria: This is the Lake Between The Mountains that Dretasim was talking about.
Godraz: Yes, it is. He was also telling us there should be a Getyr thriving civilization on the
valley of the Lake Between The Mountains that rises from this lake.
Teliria: But how can a Getyr civilization live along the riverbed, as long as there are the
emperor's soldiers defending it?
Godraz: We'll check if there is any Getyr civilization. I can only see a dam built of stones,
therefore there is a water supply system.
They hadnt even finished their discussion when Braptez and Dersaria came. They were
exhausted and eager to breathe oxygen as they were diving long enough. By his gesture, Godraz
told them not to speak pointing to the soldiers showing on the banks.
Dersaria: Something tells me that the dam was built at Stredoks command and it supplies the
palace with water. Why else should it be protected?
Imperial troops were well equipped: they had large rectangular shields, straight swords,
bows and the ones guarding the dam were provided with spears. They were dressed in trousers
and soldier like black jacket, metal undercoats, and helmets. Lake had a diameter of about one
hundred meters and was guarded by six soldiers arranged in a semicircle. Four of them stood on
the lake, other two on the dam crest. Seeing a sign, the four soldiers were directed towards the
other two soldiers from the dam. Being a mountain hollow, the words of the soldiers had echo.
The six soldiers spoke in a North Kingdoms dialect, which Godraz and Teliria knew. Each
soldier wore a metal bracelet provided with a crystal inside. Crystal inside the bracelet was same
as the Empress Incensas globe and was charged with energy in order to be spotted outside the
three protection walls of the Imperial Palace. The spy Nardrek, who had seen the Canyon, left a
bracelet just like one the imperial soldiers were wearing. That place was about eighty kilometers
from the Imperial Palace, therefore it was continuously monitored by the Empress Incensas
globe. Everyone knew that the queen had a large globe that could spot any crystal globe came
from her. No one knew the technologies of the queen and, in the same time, witch Incensa. The
Getyrs were the first to see those things.
Beside Emperor Stredok, Empress Incensa and several other dozen of seniors from the court,
everybody wore the same bracelets even if they were part of different levels of society. One
soldier said:
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Soldier: After the Emperor will have conquered the Kingdom of Getyrs and the Kingdom of
Samerzes, a cup of cold water from this lake is welcome.
Another soldier: After the victory, also the Empress Incensa should take a bath with water
coming from this lake.
Teliria: This lake provides water for the entire palace.
Another soldier: After defeating all Getyrs, including those living in the Canyon, the spy
Nardrek will be promoted as general.
Another soldier: I was told that almost all free areas were conquered by the Emperor and now
he is fighting against the Getyrs.
Another soldier: I am really worried because my family lives in those areas and I know we will
lose our freedom. I was taken prisoner and fought for the Emperor's army not to become a slave.
I preferred to sit here in the cold than to hurt people.
Another soldier: Although I come from the North Kingdoms, I am not interested in their fate
anymore. I am a soldier of the Empire and I like it. Empire gives me the opportunity to loot, to
have as many slaves as I want, to collect my money. I wish with all my heart the king to win the
war.
Teliria: Only a few soldiers in the Emperors army still have respect for the places where they
come from. Negative powers of undeserved wealth, negative energy forces of Empress Incensa,
all have destroyed many souls and are continuing to destroy them. Anyone takes apart nations,
takes apart history, too. The essence of wealth destroys freedom.
Teliria: All of us become the same if we lose this war but I am sure we will win.
The Getyrs came up on the left side of the lake, watching the six soldiers.
Braptez: I'm going to explore the water channel; you stay here.
After a few minutes, Braptez returned.
Braptez: The channel is made of stones fixed by the means of a very hard substance. It is filled
with water only a half, so one can swim through it. This channel is the solution. I can swim very
well.
Godraz: But you have to swim about eighty miles through this channel.
Braptez: Do not worry. It will be a surprise for all, especially for Empress Incensa.
Dersaria: It is very risky!
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Braptez: No more risky than what you have to do.
Braptez: You have to climb mountains.
All four were ready for the great confrontation and said in their minds: Glory for Zaltremex!
Dersaria: How did the soldiers get here?
Teliria: I think they have horses. They cannot dive into the water and go directly to the
Empress bath like Braptez do!
Teliria outlined a little ironic smile and looked at Braptez.
Godraz: If their horses are down the mountain and if we hurry, we can get there in about an
hour.
Teliria: After you have seen us from the top of the mountain, wait a little and enter the channel
that will lead you directly to the Imperial Palace.
Emperor Stredoks armies approached three directions:

- First direction: the Kingdom of Getyrs with the clear objective of destroying functional cities,
the room with energetic stones that was almost identical to that of cave peoples territory and the
border cities between and the Kingdom of Samerzes and the King of Getyrs. About one hundred
thousand soldiers led by Stredok himself and three of his generals Sapek, Taprek and Aldruk
were sent to that direction.

- Second direction: the Canyon of Getyrs to permanently destroy it and take the Getyrs on
slavery. An army of about twelve thousand men led by General Talmal and spy Nardrek was sent
to that direction.

- The third direction: to the precious energetic stones located on the territory of cave men. After
they had waited to see if the two armies reached their destination, the Empress Incensa together
with General Elmer led an army of fifteen thousand soldiers on that direction.
Empress didnt knew precisely where the energy stones were, but she used her well known
tenacity to find them. The spy Nardrek told her where the Canyon was positioned and she knew
that the hall of precious energetic stones should have been somewhere between Canyon and
Imperial Palace.
Emperor's army consisted of eighty thousand pedestrians and twenty thousand cavaliers. All
soldiers were well trained and equipped. Each soldier was provided with a crossbow and two
quivers of arrows, one with normal arrows, and other with tow-wrapped arrows soaked in a
35
flammable substance used for torches manufacturing. The Emperors army was provided with
armored cars supporting crossbows, on several levels. These crossbows were three times higher
than those of soldiers were and could release an arrow with a devastating speed for any fortress
built of wood. Emperor's army was also provided with catapults that could throw rocks or
burning material over long distances. Stredok has a two thousand soldiers personal guard who
wore only spears and shields. They formed a square around the Emperor. Eight riders surrounded
him and, in case they were hit by a rain of arrows, they could protect him with their shields. The
Emperor was riding a black horse with a black harness inlaid with precious stones and having
golden geometric figures drawn on it. The Emperors saddle was inlaid with a crystal made of
same material as Empress globe was. She controlled every movement of the troops on the
ground. People of Northern Kingdoms were taken by surprise and the two forts housing them
were destroyed very quickly. Only few of them could escape the imperial attack. Those who
escaped crossed the border into the Kingdom of Getyrs. The Empress had infiltrated many spies
in all kingdoms, including the Kingdom of Getyrs. The spies did not hear about the location of
energetic stones and mountain paths, known by Getyr people only. Getyrs were keeping these
secrets from generation to generation.
The Elmyth Ternesim was the only to know about the hall with energetic stones in the
Kingdom of Getyrs. His trusted people knew dozens of secret paths leading to the mountains
where Getyrs could have been hard to find. The Getyrs attacked Stredoks army several times by
launching a rain of arrows. Nevertheless, Emperors soldiers responded by sending a rain of
arrows above the place where their were attacked from, killing the Getyr archers.
Ternesim: Civilians in the North Kingdoms and Getyr civilians should be directed towards the
caves located in the Spring Gorge and the Eagle Spring into the Silver Mountains. In my opinion,
all three thousand civilians must be protected against Emperors soldiers. Two hundred Getyr
warriors will lead them towards places I mentioned.
The Getyr warriors in the Kingdom of Getyrs wore the same clothes and weapons as the
Getyrs living in the Canyon. They were cavaliers, archers, swimmers, and excellent climbers.
They had been grown up fighting and everybody called them the mountain warriors. Those
who had shown no warriors skills became farmers and builders and Getyrs respected them.
Getyrs also had warrior women as Dersaria and Teliria. Although they were a very sturdy
people, the Getyrs had an advanced society where freedom and values were respected. The
mountains occupied the most area land in the Kingdom of Getyrs, but there were also hills and
plains where farming. They created very ingenious irrigation systems, which helped them to
grow fertile crops. For starving people, the army of the Empire destroyed many crops, but the
Emperor did not know that the Getyrs had many supplies into the mountains and could withstand
the siege for years. Even if the Emperor could have destroyed a mountain or two, he could not
destroy them all, which allowed the Getyrs to fight against the emperor's soldiers for ages. Did
Ternes forget about the circular city in the Wolves Canyon?
36
The Getyrs sent some messengers to the Kingdom of Samerzes asking them to urgently send
troops in the north of the kingdom in order to help the Getyrs withdrawn because the situation
was very difficult.

*

Stretian had to cross the underground tunnel starting from the hall with energetic stones
and ending to the Kingdom of Getyrs. His only companions were his two dogs: Egraz and
Tertim. After about two hours walking, Stretian found a breach into the tunnel created by some
rocks displacement. When he looked down on that crack, he saw a huge steep. Stretian continued
his way through the tunnel, as he had no time to lose. He saw some scratches on the walls of the
tunnel, but gave no importance. After five minutes, the energetic stone lit in bright green with
golden flashes but it was too late to react because in a few seconds he was hit in the right
shoulder. Because of the stroke, he was thrown several feet. For couple of seconds, he did not
realized where he was, but he could hear the dogs barking furiously. He returned and saw his
dogs fighting against a very big and ferocious bear. Bear wanted to get close to him, but the dogs
bit him and turned it from the road. The torch was still burning at a distance of two meters in
front of him. He went to catch it with his right hand, but it hurt him so bad that he had to use his
left hand. At about four meters from the place he was hit, he found his armed crossbow and shot
the bear. Being hurt, the bear ran through the crack of the tunnel. Stretian bandaged his shoulder
with plants gave by Dretasim. Then, he went on through the tunnel. The energetic Stone reacted
late due to negative forces transmitted by the Empress. After walking for a day without resting
he laid down into the tunnel and fell asleep.
In the morning, his restless dogs waked him up. Stretian stood up and put his drepect on
the back drepectul, then armed his crossbow and began to walk forward. Shortly after, he could
feel the smoke in the tunnel. After so many days of walking through the tunnel, he finally found
people. After his calculation, he went two days almost continuously and, therefore, he should
have arrived on the territory of Northern Kingdoms, which were controlled by the imperial
soldiers. He had to be careful. He thought he might have arrived somewhere at the border with
the Kingdom of Getyrs. He arrived at a crossroad and saw a small tunnel o the left. The smoke
was coming from there. He saw a door of stone at the end of the tunnel. Into the door of stone,
there were dug two channels where two bars were fixed. The bars were also fixed into the
tunnels wall. Bars penetrated two battlements carved in stone and so the door stayed closed and
could only be opened inwards. Stretian opened the door, took the dogs out, then he went out, too.
They went into a ground tunnel. Having the sword in his hand, Stretian made some room among
the tree roots. The tunnel opened into a forested mountain slope. Looking up, he could see a
thick smoke and few hundreds meters above the slope he could hear people and children crying,
whinnying horses and dogs barking. Stretian started to walk towards people he heard. After
about two hundred meters, he found dozens of houses made of wood, and around them there
37
were people who occupied themselves with various things. On a side, there were the leader and
the wise people standing in a semicircle and talking. Almost everybody had curved swords and
bows. Looking at their clothing and dialects he recognized them as being Getyrs and people from
the Northern Kingdoms. Actually, the North Kingdom was a union of several small kingdoms.
Coming out from a glade, Stretian said with his resounding voice:
Stretian: I am a Getyr from the Canyon and I was sent by the Elmith Dretasim. I am looking for
the Elmith Ternesim. We must defeat the Stredoks armies.
An old man from the group of warriors stood up and said:
My name is Dreztan and I am Elmyth Ternasims brother.
Dreztan: I am glad to find out that we have a warrior among us who wants to fight against
Stredok.
Stretian gave Dreztan the document written and sealed by Dretasim.
Dreztan: The Northern Kingdoms are ruined by the imperial soldiers. They burnt our villages
and settlements. They destroyed everything!
Stretian: But they didnt destroy out faith in Zaltremex.
Dreztan: We still have the energetic and precious stones in a safe place, but I am worried they
will find and destroy them. It could be a difficult experience for us.
Stretian: As long as we have our mountains, our faith in Zaltremex, we can find other stones
full of energy.
Stretian: The power of thought actuates the power of ideal!
Dreztan: The will comes from the ideal and the ideal comes from the faith.
Stretian: The mountain paths are our ancestors history!
Stretian: Nobody can defeat us as long as we are the mountains, rivers, and forests brothers and
we can understand the animals language.
Stretian: I must get to your brother, the Elmyth Ternesim, as soon as possible, to give him this
message about the precise coordination of our resistance.
Dreztan: Dont you want to have a little rest? Stay with us tonight, then you may leave
tomorrow morning.
Suddenly, a man came out of the crowd came and said:
He is right, Dreztan. You should stay with us all night because you can rest and there are many
dangerous wolves into these forests.
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Stretian: Getyrs respect the wolves, and wolves never attack a Getyr who believes in
Zaltremex.
That man seemed very strange to Stretian. Have the same look with the spy Nardrek who had
come to Canyon once. That man wanted so much Stretian to get to the Emlyth Ternesim the day
after and, therefore, Stretian was suspecting him of something bad .
Stretian: You, the one who have just spoken to me, what is your name and where are you
from?
My name Lardek and I come from the Kingdom of the Sunny Plateaus.
Lardek: I was trading with people of the North Kingdoms when the invasion of the imperial
soldiers forced me to search for a shelter right here with these people. I am grateful that they
accepted me.
Stretian: Come with me please and shake my hand, as men do. Now we are brothers in arms and
fight together against Emperor Stredok.
When hearing these words, Lardek glared hate at Stretian. Stretian's dogs started to growl when
they saw Lardek approaching, but they kept silent at a prompt command of their master. While
they were shaking their hands, Stretian noted the metal bracelet on his hand. In that moment,
Lardek drew out his knife and tried to cut Stretian. Instantly, the two dogs jumped, putting him
down. All were amazed of what happened.
Stretian: Lardek has an imperial bracelet on his right hand, therefore he is a spy of the
Emperor.
Dreztan: Who are you?
Lardek: I am a Getyr but I hate you, I hate your faith, I love the Emperors gold I get when I
betray free people as you.
Everybody was voiceless: he was a Getyr serving the Emperor.
Lardek: The Emperor knows where you are and he will send a detachment of elite to destroy
you all.
Dreztan: This is the Stredoks destructive force, especially the Empress Incensas. She is an
expert in destroying the souls and making people become ordinary performers.
Stretian: She simply fanatizes everybody destroying their faith in Zaltremex.
Stretian: I need four Getyrs to get this bugger away from here.
Stretian: I am sad to find out about such people, especially a Getyr one.
Dreztan: That Getyr didnt have enough destructive force to hurt us.
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Stretian: I need a horse and some food to get the Elmith Ternesim in the Kingdom of Getyrs as
soon as possible.
Dreztan: You must walk through the western Kingdom of Getyrs to get safely to the north and
meet Ternesim.
Dreztan explained him what road to take in order to get to the Elmyth Ternesim as soon as
possible. Stretian said goodbye to people, then rode his horse to the Kingdom of Getyrs. His
faithful dogs were running in the back of the horse. Stretian followed the mountain paths,
believing in that the mountains warriors would achieve the final victory. After several hours of
riding on mountain, Stretian's horse began to show signs of restlessness. Suddenly, more than ten
big wolves appeared in front of them. Stretian got down, looked firmly into the wolves eyes and
told them, in an old Getyr dialect, to get out of his road because he didnt want to hurt them, but
to reach his Getyr brothers. He also told them that Zaltremex was on his side and helped him to
win the battle. When wolves had heard the name Zaltremex, they made him room to pass.
Stretian went on and the wolves ran in front of the horse in order to show him the path. After
running about two hours, wolves came on top of a mountain and looked in the distance. They
were looking at the Getyr warriors. In few moments, Stretian with his two dogs appeared and
saw thousands of Getyr warriors known as the warriors of the mountains.
Stretian began to descend slowly towards the warriors and once again looked back to the wolves.
All wolves sat motionless, wishing him success in the difficult fight ahead.
It was early in the morning. Wolves led Stretian up all night to get to the Getyr warriors.
Warriors of the mountains seemed to be close, but Stretian had to go about three hours to reach
them. Just before reaching the Getyrs camp, many arrows hit the trees in front of him. It was
Getyrs sentinels. Four of them turned to Stretian having their bows ready to attack. Stretian
spoken to them into Getyr dialect. Hearing his language, the sentinels began to be more relaxed.
Besides, his clothing was similar to the sentinels.
Stretian: I salute the Getyr warriors. My name is Stretian and I am a Getyr warrior from the
Getyrs Canyon in the Kingdom Of The Two Rivers. The Elmith Dretasim sent me with a
document signed by him. It is addressed to the Elmyth Ternesim. It contains helpful tips you
must take into account when fighting against imperial troops.
Stretian was accompanied by two warriors to the Getyr chiefs ruled by the Elmyth Ternesim. In
case of war, the Elmyths were the supreme rulers. Elmyths were also called the supreme
warriors. They were completely twinning with nature. They knew the perfect way to use the
advantages of land, being the only ones who were spiritual leaders allowed to preach about
Zaltremexian belief among Getyrs but also among other people.
After having passed by some Getyr soldiers, Stretian noticed many warriors standing in a
semicircle. They were Getyr chiefs. There was an old man staying in front of them. He was
40
speaking to them vigorously and everybody was listening to him carefully. He was the Elmyth
Ternesim. Ternesim looked at Stretian and said:
Ternes: Welcome among us. We are the Getyr warriors.
Ternes: Where are you from and what news you bring us?
After an energetic focusing, Dretasim telepathically had sent Ternesim, long before Stretian
arrived, a notification that he would receive a very important message for him. Ternesim knew
he would receive a document brought by a Getir from Canyon. Elmyths reached a high degree of
spiritual development and energy.
Stretian: I am a Getyr from the Canyon and I came to join you fighting against imperial troops.
Ive brought you an important document given by Dretasim and I have the mission to gi it to the
great Elmyth Ternesim.
Ternesim: I am that one.
Stretian handed him the document. After reading it, Ternesim said:
Ternesim: Dretasim, the Elmitul is right. We have to organize our resistance into the Wolves
Canyon, where two circular cities are. The imperial armies cannot reach that place.
Stretian: We cannot face imperial soldiers in open space because there are many more than we
are, also they are provided with destroying armored cars.
Ternesim: Emperor Stredok often wanted to bring us open spaces to destroy us, but knowing his
strategy, we have always avoided him.
Stretian: We need to use the advantages of Nature, mountains in particular, otherwise we will
be defeated.
Stretian: We need large quantity of explosive substance. The Getyrs dug tunnels in the
mountains using the explosive substance. We need to dig holes throughout the Canyon and then
to store explosive substance there. In my opinion, if it remains there for maximum one day,
massive gas deposits shall be created. Using just a single spark, we can provoke powerful
explosions.
Ternesim: Stretian, we go together to the hall with energetic stones to take the explosive
substance which is stored in some sealed pots. If blown, these pots will create great harm for the
imperial soldiers.
Ternesim: We need to throw rocks on them, but this is a short term solution because the
Emperor will release his huge birds that cannot fly on the slopes. They spit venomous snakes
upon those who throw stones. These can cause great losses among our people and art of war.
Stretian and Ternesim went to the energetic stones taking a few dozen of Getyr warriors with
41
them. Only Stretian and Ternesim entered the hall with energetic and precious stones. The other
Getyrs had waited for more than two hundred meters away. As in the existing hall with precious
and energetic stones in the Kingdom Of The Two Rivers, this room had two tunnels, one on the
left, the other on the right. The right one ended within a hundred meters away with a deposit of
explosives stored in pots. There were still many bows and crossbows prepared for battle.






















42
Chapter 3

The three battles

The Getyrs from the canyon led by Derza were preparing for battle. They expected to be
attacked by imperial soldiers in any moment. Nardrek spy informed General Talmai and some of
his officers about all he had seen and heard, therefore they decided to attack on all three
directions: First direction: the armored cares entry on the free entry of the Canyon; the Second
direction: attacking the Canyon through the stands arranged in semicircle; the Third direction:
simultaneous attack from the heights of the Canyon. If Getyrs hadnt been attacked from the
Canyon heights, too, they could have escaped and run from the imperial soldiers.
Nardrek did not know all the tunnels where they could escape, but he wanted to surprise Getyrs
by breaking up the room ceiling. The plan was well designed, and if had succeeded, the Getyrs
would have been caught inside and would have lost the fight. Dretasim was cautious and sent the
Getyrs a document through a bird of passage. The document advised the Getyrs to defend the
Canyons heights at any cost. The chambers ceiling spread on both sides of the canyon. It was
one hundred meters width, then a very difficult to access gap followed. So, on the both heights of
the Canyon, the imperial soldiers had areas within a hundred meters where they could draw their
sword.
The Getyrs dug sloped areas into the rock where thick metal plates were introduced.
There were rectangular metal plates up to ten centimeters wide and one hundred meters long.
They had the ceilings dimensions. The plates were removed by means of pulleys fixed on some
metal posts stuck in the Canyon ceiling.
In these plates there were rectangular spaces allowing Getyrs crossbows to launch
arrows. Arrows could be launched also by bows. On the upper side, the metal plates ended with a
horizontal metal plate, on whose ends some metal posts were fixed. The Metal posts were stuck
in the room ceiling. Metal plates defended Getyrs from the imperial soldiers arrows. On both
heights of the Canyon, inclined metal plates were fixed. The first metal plate had got the same
length as the Canyon ceiling had, about a hundred meters and was located a few tens of meters in
front of the rooms. Dozens of warriors could launch arrows through these metal plates
simultaneously. Behind the metal plates other smaller metal plates were fixed in the same way.
Inside the Canyon, Getyrs were ready to send thousands of fire arrows and common arrows.
They were prepared with clay pots filled with water to extinguish the fire arrows launched by the
elite of Stredok Emperor. On both sides, the arrows of the soldiers could hardly penetrate the
stone columns defending the main hallway. Imperial soldiers used the catapults that launched
large stones to break these columns defending the main hallway. For this purpose, the soldiers
43
needed to bring their catapults closer to hit the columns the stone frontally and side doors of the
halls.
Imperial soldiers tried to destroy the side doors of the hallways using catapults with
stones. Most vulnerable door was the central door down on the ground floor, where the animals
came to house and other two side doors of the hallways where people was entering and leaving.
The Getyrs took their animals into a cave located a few kilometers away, guarded by several
Getyrs. On the ground floor, they fixed a metal plate through the hallway. It had the same
dimensions and model as those on the Canyons heights, used by Getyr warriors to fight against
imperial soldiers. On each height of the Canyon, there were set two large plates and other
maximum eight smaller plates between them. The doors they hadnt walled were the ones closest
to the ceiling. Dretasim had anticipated a life-and-death fight. Loosing the height meant loosing
the war itself. The day after finishing preparations for battle, sentinels announced the Getyrs
about the imperial troops arrival from three directions.
The first penetration took place through the southern area of the Canyon, which was unfortified
and quite large. On that area, General Talmal concentrated more than six thousand soldiers out,
more than half of the entire Emperors army.
The second penetration took place through the northern area of the Canyon, where the circular
gallery of stone was built. There were sent around fifteen hundred men.
The third direction of assault was planned on the heights of the Canyon above the ceiling of the
rooms constructed into the Canyons slopes. Over four thousand elite troops were concentrated
right there. Besides the small catapults, soldiers were also provided with catapults for breaking
the stone. They intended to break the ceiling and catch the Getyrs between the two imperial
armies. All imperial soldiers attacked trying to achieve a quick victory. Metal plates were placed
in front of the northern stone circular tribune, which was used as a fortress. Soldiers arrows sent
from the heights could not reach the Getyrs that defended the northern entrance into the Canyon.
When the first attack took place, the imperial soldiers received a harsh response from all sides;
hundreds of imperial soldiers were killed or wounded.
Soldiers inside the Canyon, directly led by General Talmal, tried to destroy the columns
of stone that protected the main hallway, launching large stones by their catapults. The stones
bounced from the hard stone walls and their only chance to break those columns was to strike
them perpendicularly. General Talmal ordered the soldiers to build some roof-shaped wooden
structures like the two planes forming an angle (less than ninety degrees), having small
rectangular surfaces, built inside the two planes forming the roof. On these wooden structures,
massive rectangular shields that the imperial soldiers were equipped with were fixed. The
wooden structures could cover no more than ten soldiers that launched arrows through the small
rectangular areas. About twenty such wooden structures had been made and, at beginning, the
imperial soldiers could kill and wound many Getyrs on the upper floors of buildings. The Getyrs
44
were defending themselves because that was the most important war they could not have to lose
it.
Seeing the wood structures covered with shields, the Getyrs changed their normal arrows
into fire arrows and started to throw stones by the means of slings. In half an hour time, those
structures were destroyed and all soldiers inside them were killed. General Talmal ordered the
soldiers to stop the assault inside and asked hundreds of soldiers to climb the heights to attack
the Getyrs from two sides. Metal plates were subjected to attack from the north and could barely
resist the stones launched from catapults. When they finished stones, the soldiers began to build
the same wooden structures covered by shields. Because the Getyrs situated on the Canyons
heights could not throw stones upon wooden structures, help emperor's soldiers resist their attack
and come closer and closer to them. Hundreds of soldiers climbed (from South) the Canyons
heights threatening large metal plates. Without protection, the imperial soldiers were easy to be
attacked by the Getyrs, but the problem was that they had a limited number of arrows. The
situation would have become worse if the imperial soldiers had come closer to the metal plate
with their wooden structures. They could attack frontally and win because there were more in
number. The Getyrs attacked the imperial soldiers from both sides , but that was not enough. If
they had lost the roof, the Getyrs would have lost the battle. Suddenly, above Canyon hundreds
of cave eagles appeared releasing hundreds of stones upon wooden structures. In the same time,
the cave eagles swooped upon the soldiers and determined them getting out of there. The Getyrs
were waiting for them outside. The stones destroyed any wooden structure, thus the remaining
soldiers climb down the stairs. Only few hundreds of them escaped. The Elmyth Dretasim eagles
sent the eagles using the power of thought and energetic stones showing once again that they
were Natures brothers. In the north of Canyon, the Getyrs standing on circular stands could not
cope with imperial soldiers arrows, stones and catapults. The Getyrs were ten times less in
number but slaughtered everyone as they were fighters without fear. The imperial soldiers came
to the ground floor walled door that could not be defended by anyone. They could not penetrate
the building because a lot of Getyrs were waiting for them inside the building. When preparing
to break the walled door, rain of arrows hit the imperial soldiers and executed them all. Then, the
Getyrs turned back to their brothers, which could barely defend the heavy metal plate in the
south. The Getyrs shot down all imperial soldiers on the heights of the Canyon. It was a real
disaster for General Talmal. The Getyrs killed the spy Nardrek, too. Only a thousand soldiers and
General Talmal could escape. The gatyrs hadnt have time to enjoy their victory as they wanted
to because they had to help the Elmyth Dretasim, together with cave people, to destroy another
imperial army, greater than the one they had defeated into the Canyon. One thousand five
hundred Getyrs had born down more than twelve thousand imperial soldiers. The Getyrs from
the Canyon, who escaped the confrontation, recovered a total number of three thousand horses
from the imperial soldiers. Dretasim and other fifteen hundred men of the cave had to face over
fifteen thousand imperial soldiers led by General Elmer and Empress Incensa. Dretasim was in
great danger because Empress Incensa wanted to destroy the energetic and, therefore, the
resistance led by Dretasim and Ternesim. Incensa didnt know exactly where the precious stones
45
were, but she could use her senses to find them. If the Getyrs in the Canyon had not arrived in
time, Empress could have won the battle.

*
Meanwhile the four Getyrs who had arrived at the Lake Between the Mountains planned a way
to reach the Imperial Palace. Braptez entered the stone channel after the other Getyrs: Dersaria
Teliria and Godraz had crossed over one of the slopes above the Lake Between the Mountains.
They found the horses of the guardian soldiers. The Getyrs took away all six horses in case the
imperial soldiers saw them. Therefore, the soldiers could not have set the alarm in time.
The water channel had a small slope; therefore, the water velocity was low, which helped
Braptez to swim eighty kilometers in about three hours. In the same time, the other Getyrs could
reach the Imperial Palace. Starting from the mountains basis, the water channel went
underground and was completely surrounded by a massive wall of stone. In order to reach the
palace, the Getyrs had to follow this wall. Have have ridden for almost three hours without rest
and, in the evening, they reached the first wall of defense. It had one meter wide and five meters
high. There were sentinels every twenty meters. Three walls defended each sentinel: two were
perpendicular to the defense wall and one was built into the edge of the defense wall. The middle
wall was cemented by the other two, offering the sentinel a maximum protection against any
attack from the outside. Into the middle of the wall, a rectangular window of about five
centimeters wide and one-meter length was built. From that window, the sentinel could launch
arrows towards the potential attackers.
Godraz: We must climb the wall, but it is almost impossible because of sentinels and powerful
lighting. Soldiers guarding the wall were provided with some very large flares attached to a
sidewall that light up to twenty meters where another soldier can be found.
Teliria: We must infiltrate inside and do no victims at all.
Dersaria: But how?
Teliria: We aim the torches of three sentinels using arrows with tow soaked in oil that rakes the
fire out.
It was very important to aim the big torches first. Therefore, they did. Arrows were
quickly withdrawn with some ropes. Dersaria, Godraz and Teliria were about twenty meters
from the wall. Teliria shoot five arrows into the wall and the others were able to climb it. Godraz
was the last in file and broke all arrows behind him, as sentinels could not notice their presence
there.
The second wall was two times higher than the first one. There were less sentinels, but it
was surrounded by a circle of fire. The fire was burning in a ditch made of stone of about a meter
46
thick and over a meter high. The ditch was filled with a solid substance that could continuously
burn for all night. Burning firewall that was built on a slope and it was very difficult to jump. If
anyone had thought about jumping it, he could have had severe burns. But they could use the
ground surrounding the firewall. A little lower irrigation system had to maintain the grass green
between the two defensive walls.
Godraz: We need to build clay bricks that will help us to jump over the circle of fire.
Using water from the irrigation system, the Getyrs built over twenty bricks of clay. These clay
bricks helped them to pass over the circle of fire. Teliria shot other eight arrows into the wall and
the Getyrs could climb the wall. At the wall basis, there were many slaves houses, and on the
other side, very close to the water ditch, the soldiers garrison were guarding. Fortunately, the
last defense wall was located at least ten feet above the level where they were in that moment.
They could not walk on earth, therefore the only chance was to climb without any noise. Teliria
launched two arrows into the last wall of defense, each of them being caught by a rope. Thus, all
were able to reach the last wall of defense without being noticed. From up there, they could see
the palace wall and main gate. The palace was well lit, both internally and externally. Suddenly
they heard the jingle and the huge palace gates were opened. Thousands of soldiers came out of
the palace. In front of soldiers, two leaders, each surrounded by eight riders, were riding two
black horses, being sure of their victory. General Elmer and Empress Incensa were leading over
fifteen thousand soldiers trained and armed with the same weapons as Stredoks armies. They
were optimistic and believed in their victory. Fifteen thousand soldiers could reach the hall of
precious and energetic stones in about twenty hours.
Dersaria, Godraz and Teliria climbed down the last wall of defense walking towards the
internal courtyard of the imperial palace. Into that garden they saw many beautiful flowers
geometrically arranged: diamond, rectangle, circle, triangle, etc. When the Getyrs saw these
figures they realized the great similarity with geometric shapes drawn on their clothing. There
were many ornamental trees and places of rest. In the garden were also small wooden houses,
which housed the soldiers guarding the imperial palace. The water supply system was very
sophisticated. Although it was very sophisticated for that time, toilets and bathrooms were built
inside the wooden houses. All soldiers guarding the palace and not only them were asked to
wash themselves every day because the Queen wanted to come in contact only with clean people.
The exit gates of the palace continued with some huge marble and stone steps that ended on a flat
multicolored surface made of marble. On that surface was built the palace gate. This gate was
built of metal and gold on the outside. Imperial Palace was built on three levels, had no ground
floor and the bottom and middle parts had a huge rectangular shape. At the last level was a huge
dome where Emperor Stredok and Empress Incensa were living and dominating the entire world.
Before entering the palace, they saw a channel that went directly into the dome and that was
positioned behind the palace. The Getyrs entered the palace on the first floor because the
groundfloor had no windows, but only marble and stone.
Teliria: I believe that Braptez will come through this channel that enters the dome.
47
Dersaria: This is the water supply channel that comes from the Lake Between the Mountains.
Godraz: We need to get inside the palaces dome.
The first step was to go underground into the huge barracks of the elite soldiers. In the basement,
there were food, clothes, and weapons. After passing the stores, the Getyrs met a white-haired
old man. The three Getyrs drew their curved swords in a second. He said without fear:
I am glad to meet some free Getyrs. My name Ergral and I designed some of the rooms inside
the Canyon located in the Kingdom of the Two Rivers.
Teliria: How did you know we were Getyrs?
Ergral: I recognized the shape of swords and quickness of handle them.
Teliria: We are amazed and, at the same time, delighted to meet the man who designed some of
the rooms in our Canyon.
Ergral: Hundred years ago, Getyrs started to build habitable rooms in this Canyon.
Ergral: But, what are you doing here?
Godraz: We want to destroy the palace. We must strike a blow against Emperor Stredok and
Empress Incensa.
Ergral: I must say that you have a lot of courage.
Dersaria: Getyrs do not go short of courage.
Ergral: I can give you some valuable information because I was captured long ago and forced to
work into this huge palace.
Dersaria: Emperor and Empress want to destroy us and make us their slaves.
Ergral: They will not succeed because the Getyrs will never be defeated. Over fifteen thousand
soldiers went to destroy our Elmitul Dretasim and the energetic stones.
Godraz: Dretasim is a brilliant leader and, together with the cave people, he will defeat the
imperial soldiers and their leaders.
Ergral: Together with the cave men? Werent they our enemies?
Godraz: They are no longer our enemies. Now they are our allies because they were convinced
by Dretasim that Emperor Stredok is our common enemy.
Dersaria: It's a good thing. I believe in Dretasims victory.
48
Dersaria: We must destroy the queens room where she supervises all subjects and that should
be done as quickly as possible.
Dersaria: I still have some explosives left. The Getyrs used it for breaking rocks when building
the tunnels.
Ergral: Thousands of people died when building this sumptuous palace that brings only
arrogance, robbery, and slavery.
Ergral: We must go down to the basement where there are dozens of rectangular parallelepipeds
made of resistant ceramic filled with explosive substance. These durable ceramic rectangular
parallelepipeds must be taken into the dome. While changing guards, we have ten minutes to
reach the dome.
Ergral: We must put these durable ceramic rectangular parallelepipeds near stone boilers that
heat the the Empress Incensas water tanks made of fine ceramic or marble. Sparks from boilers
will jump on the rectangular parallelepipeds and they will slowly perforate the ceramic and reach
the explosive substance. That will cause a powerful explosion. The entire dome, including
Empress globe, will be destroyed.
Ergral: If she loses her crystal ball, the Empress will lose a lot of power and thus will give
Dretasim the chance of victory.
Ergral: Our only chance for withdraw is the water channel which will take us to Lake Between
the Mountains. Before we reach the dome, I must give the Getyrs locked in the basement
weapons and explosives. After the explosions inside the dome, they will have the chance to fight
together with us.
Ergral went to give Getyrs weapons and explosives and returned after half an hour.
Ergral: We must move quickly; there are few hours till morning. At the day light, we have no
chance to get out of the palace.
They could take the explosive inside the dome, but when they arrived there they met
Braptez trying to find a way out of the dome that was very well protected. Dome was surrounded
by a corridor where dozens of soldiers were guarding it. No one was not allowed to enter the
dome, except the Emperor and his Empress. The Getyrs were very glad to be together again. All
experts of the empire built the dome with a special refinement. All walls were made of marble
and gold and painted in geometrical shapes. There were pools with warm water and dozens of
ceramic wells containing drinking water. Domes water supply system was taking over drinking
water through a ceramic pipeline leading it to the lower floors. The Getyrs entered the room
where the Empress crystal ball was. After seeing the huge crystal globe and thousands of red
dots on it, representing the imperial soldiers, the Getyrs noticed on the ceiling of the room
exactly the same map of the empire and free kingdoms they had seen into that hall with energetic
49
stones, situated in the mountains of cave people. The maps were different in color and energy
only. The entire building needed an extraordinary effort and, in that moment, they were thinking
of destroying everything. Ceramic pots containing the explosive materials were placed near stone
tanks. Getyrs came out through a window located on the circular walls of the dome and reached
the water channel of the palace. Within an hour, the rectangular ceramic pots that were to
explode, destroying the dome, a real work of art.

*

After walking through the desert with their army, Incensa and General Elmer arrived in
front of three mountains. One of these mountains contained the room with energetic stones.
Incensa knew that energetic stones could be found at the base of a mountain, but she did not
which one of them to choose. Two of these mountains were covered by forests almost to the top,
but the other did not have any vegetation. Incensa looked very carefully and saw some birds
entering and exiting the mountain.
Incensa: There are the energetic stones, on the right side mountain.
The other two mountains were no longer important for the Empress. Incensa ordered General
Elmer to prepare his troops for battle.
Incensa: We must win this battle quickly.
Meanwhile, the Elmitul Dretasim worked together with the cave people and prepared for the
imperial soldiers assault.
Dretasim thought that the Empress Incensa would attack the mountain in order to destroy the
defenders. The north side of the mountain was difficult to access, but other parts, though covered
by forests; they were accessible for imperial soldiers. At down, Empress Incensa fell down from
her horse, tumble down several times saying that her crystal ball had been broken. Dersaria,
Teliria, Godraz, Ergral and Braptez did their duty.
Few minute later, she got up being aware of the only chance she had left to destroy the Getyrs
energetic stones inside the mountain. Meanwhile, the cave people were penetrating the rock,
guided by Dretasim. They made hundreds of spaces to launch arrows towards the imperial
soldiers. All these spaces in the rock had maximum a quarter meter width and nobody could
enter through those cracks. Arrows launched from tubes did not penetrate shields as well as
arrows launched from crossbows, but cave people took advantage of that soldiers, during
climbing the mountain, could not use the protective shields as well as they did on flat ground.
Entering the right side tunnel that ended into the energetic stones hall, Dretasim found a big
quantity of explosive materials used for construction of tunnels. That substance was made of
50
plants and was sealed into the parallelepiped pots. He was going to use it against the imperial
soldiers.
Dretasim: I would rather destroy the energy stones than let Incensa take them. It is very
important to protect both rooms containing the energetic stones from enemies.
Together with the cave men, Dretasim developed a solid wooden fence that protected thousands
of large stones. The fence was built in a semicircle and defended the huge cave where cave
people lived and where the energetic stones hall was. The entrance into the huge cave was like
gap in the rock located close to the mountain top and it was quite narrow, but open enough so
that cave people cave and birds could enter and exit. Hundreds of other cracks in the rocks were
positioned above the main entrance of the huge cave and brought enough light for people living
inside.
General Elmer ordered his soldiers to launch arrows towards the mountain in order to
destroy the enemies. He thought they were hiding behind trees and rocks. After general gave that
order, over fifteen thousand arrows were lunched towards the mountain slope. Imperial soldiers
were much better equipped than the cave men. Only the Elmyth Dretasim had a crossbow, but
his crossbow was more powerful than all existing in that war. No arrow could reach its target
because rocks protected the mountain defenders. All were amazed when imperial soldiers were
withdrawing. Incensa ordered to launch large stones with catapults and smash the walls of the
mountain. The mountain resisted. Then Incensa ordered six thousand soldiers to attack in force
the fighters defending the mountain. Cave men launched thousands of arrows upon soldiers,
killing or wounding many of them, but when the soldiers found the places where the cave men
were sending their arrows, they also launched thousands of arrows towards those places. In this
way, dozens of cave people were killed and wounded. This fight was very unequal as imperial
soldiers were at least ten times more numerous and better armed. The soldiers were coming
closer and closer to the cave entrance, and it seemed that nothing could to stop them anymore.
One hundred meters before reaching the entrance into the inhabited cave, Dretasim and cave
people broke the fence supporting thousands of large size stones. The stones swooped upon
soldiers killing many of them. Seeing what happened, General Elmer and Empress Incensa
though those weapons of people defending the mountains ended and gave the order to attack
them with six thousand soldiers. The situation became critical. Dretasim told cave people to
bring over twenty ceramic parallelepipeds filled with explosives from the tunnel as quickly as
they could. The parallelepipeds had fifty centimeters height, sixty centimeters length, and fifty
centimeters wide. Each weighted over one hundred kilos, and their walls were five centimeters
thick. They were hidden in various places on the mountain slope, where the imperial soldiers
were climbing.
Dretasim has the most important responsibility: to launch arrows from his crossbow
towards the ceramic parallelepiped pots filled with explosives. The arrowheads were very hard,
so they could penetrate the thick walls of ceramic pots full with explosives. The arrowheads were
provided with rope tow soaked in flammable substance used for by Getyrs torches. When the
51
arrows penetrated the walls of ceramic, the gas accumulated inside went out and exploded on
contact with fire. Arrows should have been launched when the imperial soldiers were near the
pots with explosives. The pots were strategically positioned as Dretasim desired. Over the
mountains, another cloud of arrows launched by imperial soldiers hit the cave people.
There were arrows that were planted inside the pots with explosives, but failed to eliminate the
gas out. Fortunately, the soldiers did not release large stones with catapults anymore. Stones
launched with catapults would have been broken the pots with explosives and the soldiers would
have had access to the energetic stones. Incensa, General Elmer and eight thousand soldiers were
eager to finish that fight as soon as possible. Less than fifty meters from the huge cave entrance,
Dretasim began to launch fire arrows that hit all the targets. It was a disaster for the army led by
Incesa and General Elmer. Thousands of soldiers were killed or wounded. Many deserted and ran
away, and two thousand joined Empered Incensa and General Elmer waiting further orders. All
went to help the Emperor Stredok. Dretasim and cave men won a great victory, but they could
not enjoy it because they had to hurry up to Wolves Canyon and help the Elmitul Ternesim. Few
minutes later after the imperial soldiers had gone, Dretasim saw thousands of horses coming to
the mountain. There were about a thousand of Getyrs led by Derza having two other thousand
horses he had taken away from the imperial soldiers. Dretasim was very happy to see Derza
again.
Derza: I defeated the army of General Talmal and the spy Nardrek. There were more than
twelve thousand well trained and armed soldiers.
Dretasim: Zaltremex helped us all. We also defeated an army of fifteen thousand men led by
Empress Incensa and General Elmer.
Dretasim: Almost all who escaped went to regroup and help the Emperor Stredok. There will be
more than one hundred thousand well-armed and motivated soldiers to fight for their only
chance.
Derza: We left behind us about hundred Getyr warriors to defend the Canyon because everyone
wanted to fight against the Emperor Stredok.
Dretasim: There also should be left about one hundred warriors to defend their families and the
energetic stones. They have enough crossbows and explosives to face any kind of attack.
Dretasim: We all have horses, so we can get there faster. We also take about ten pots with
explosives because we will need them for sure.

*

Dersaria, Teliria, Godraz, Ergral and Braptez rode their horses to the hall with energetic stones to
help Dretasim fighting against the imperial soldiers. Ergral knew the mountain on the outside
and the other three it on the inside. When they reached the mountain containing the energetic
52
stones, the Getyrs saw the disastrous war. They climbed up to the huge cave. At the entrance,
over twenty cave people told them Dretasim had left for two hours to the Wolves Canyon in the
Kingdom of Getyrs. The four Getyrs went galloping and few hours later met the other Getyrs and
cave people. It was a great joy for everybody to meet again. Together they left to fight against
Emperor Stredok.
Dretasim knew very well all the accessible paths in the mountains. It was a real advantage for
him and the other because the imperial soldiers could not find their location. They had to find
Ternesim before starting the battle.
Dretasim led his people on the roads from west side of the empire, which was more isolated,
because they had little chance to meet the soldiers of the Emperor. After one day of walk, they
reached the place where Stretian met Dreztan, Ternesims brother. When they saw two thousand
warriors, women and children in that Getyr community got scared. Then Dretasim greeted them
with a resounding voice in their dialect and so everybody calmed down.
Dreztan: It's a great honor for us to have here one of the greatest Elmyth of Getyrs, the Emlyth
Dretasim!
Dreztan: Here we gather various people from different kingdoms, but the most of them are
Getyrs ejected by the Emperor's soldiers. They destroyed everything we had and here we are
gathered to administrate things as we can.
Dretasim: I am happy to find out that you still have faith in you.
Dretasim: How far is the Wolves Canyon?
Dreztan: About one day of galloping horses.
Dreztan: We can give you one hundred men to fight with you against the Emperor Stredok. We
are all on your side; we need to win this war, if not, the darkness will fall upon us all.
Dretasim: With a little luck we'll win.
Dreztan: Zaltremex will give it to you!
Two thousand Getyrs and several hundred warriors of other nations went galloping to the
Wolves Canyon. Hundreds of wolves and eagles accompanied the Getyrs on their way, too. All
animals were with them, waters made them free way to pass, and forests whimpered in sign of
respect. It was a complete twinning between warriors of the mountains and Nature itself. The
Getyrs and Nature had to win the war against the Emperor Stredok. After a day of continuous
galloping, they reached the Wolves Canyon. Dretasim and the his two thousand warriors were
greeted with an indescribable enthusiasm come from over fifteen thousand Getyr warriors led by
Ternesim. Stretian was very happy to meet with comrades he had passed through so many
obstacles and adventures. There were areas where people rose in revolt against the empire, but
they could not reach the Getyr warriors to fight together against Stredok. The Getyrs were about
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twenty thousand, and Stredoks army had about one hundred thousand soldiers. Generals Elmer
and Talmar and, of course, the Empress Incensa shared their experiences with Stredok. They told
him about loosing battle in front of the Getyrs. Emperor Stredok had the best-trained soldiers and
the most sophisticated weapons. Getyrs spies told Ternesim and Dretasim that the king with his
great army would get there someday. Inside the circular cities, that actually were many floors
buildings with circular facade carved into the rock, the Canyon was about five hundred meters
wide and over fifteen hundred meters high. Upstream of these structures, the Canyon continued.
There was a riverbed of about ten meters length. In that area, about one hundred meters upstream
the circular cities, Dretasim ordered his men to dislocate two huge cliffs from the mountains.
They were going to block the imperial soldiers way to the Canyon. Rocks were dislocated from
the slopes by the means of pots filled with explosives. The rocks formed an impregnable bulwark
in front of the imperial soldiers. Ternesim told his warriors to build a wooden footbridge over ten
feet high behind the rock bulwark. More than one hundred Getyrs could stand and launch arrows
from there towards the imperial soldiers. The Getyrs built also some defensive stone and wood
walls as a protection against the imperial soldiers in case they wanted to slip behind the Getyrs
that should have defended the rocky parapet. These defensive walls were defended by a thousand
of Getyrs from each side of the mountain.
In the circular cities, two rivers flowed through the Canyons slopes that, after one
kilometer downstream of cities, became a single river flowing on the right side of Wolves
Canyon. The Emperor was expecting to be attacked by the Getyrs on the slopes, therefore he
ordered that five thousand elite troops to be sent on each side in order to attack the cities. Slopes
were almost entirely covered by shrubs. The Getyrs knew that the Emperor would launch
hundreds of venomous snakes on both slopes of the Canyon and that he would set free hundreds
of huge very dangerous birds. The Getyrs, knowing about his strategy, sent several hundred
Getyrs to imbue with a flammable substance the shrubs on the slopes of the Canyon. Dretasim
ordered the cave people to walk along the two rivers. When they got in front of the circular
cities, they were ordered to make dozens of cracks in the rock using explosive materials, the
same strategy adopted when fighting against Empress Incensa. The rivers could be reached only
from upstream. which flowed through the canyon verasanii. After hours of work they found the
thinnest places on the mountain slopes. Then, the cave men broke the rocks into dozens of
places. The cracks in the rock were approximately the same size as those of the mountain where
the energetic rocks were situated. They were at about one meter height, an excellent position for
the cave people to launch their arrows to the imperial soldiers. Cities could not be destroyed
because of catapults, as stone columns forming the outer windows were very thick and the stones
thrown by catapults rebound.
Dretasim: Actually, the cities should not be defended at all costs, but used to destroy the
military equipment and troops of Emperor Stredok.
Ternes: I agree. When imperial soldiers get into the cities, the Getyrs will withdraw through
underground tunnels and will go behind fighters defending the huge rocks.
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Dretasim: After withdrawal, they will destroy the underground channels using the last pots
containing explosive.
Dretasim: The heaviest battle will take place behind circular cities, in front of these huge rocks.
Ternes: If we lose the battle in front of the huge rocks, we will withdraw to the Rocks of
Warriors where we had already confronted the invasions of other empires.
Dretasim: No invasion can be compared with this one. Nobody has had such a strong army as
the Emperor has.
One day after, the vast army of Emperor Stredok arrived on Getyrs lands. Just as the
Elmyths had predicted, the Emperor, using catapults, launched thousands of snakes on the slopes
that flanked the two circular cities. Then he released hundreds of huge birds specially trained to
hunt people. These birds were immune to snake venom. But, before releasing the snakes and
birds, the Emperor ordered that thousands of arrows to be launched on the slopes of the Canyon.
Fortunately, no fire arrow was launched and the slopes remained imbued with flammable
substances. The clear blue sky was just as one designed on the maps in the hall with energetic
stones. Did the sky predict a victory of good against evil? The final battle was definitive. When
the huge birds arrived at the middle of the slopes, fire thousands of arrows were launched by the
Getyrs. A huge fire broke out on the two slopes that killed all animals sent by the Emperor.
After extinguishing, the Emperor sent five thousand men on each slope to attack the circular
cities. The two armies found themselves at about six hundred meters from one another.
Advanced catapults could throw medium-size stones within three hundred meters away. Circular
cities could be hit but they were not strong enough to hit the Getyrs army that was waiting for
the Emperors soldiers. On the other side of the mountain, nobody could climb to the circular
cities. Dretasim knew why he wanted to fight against Stredok's army in that place. There was not
enough room for the Emperors soldiers. He ordered thousands of soldiers to use their scales and
escalat the rock walls of the cities, but all were killed by the Getyr archers getiri from inside.
Cave men were ordered not to shoot, unless imperial soldiers had arrived in front of the cities.
The only way to defeat the Getyrs was to launch large rocks upon the positions where the Getyrs
formed a barricade behind the two huge rocks displaced from the high slopes of the Canyon. The
Emperor realized that, for getting success, he needed to bring the catapults at more than three
hundred meters from the Getyrs army. Each catapult was towed by four elephants. The Emperor
had five such catapults. In order to get the catapults closer at about three hundred meters from
the Getyrs army, he ordered that elephants hauling five catapults to be placed in a wooden
frame, where the shields of soldiers had to be fixed on. Within this large frame, besides the four
elephants and an elephant trainer, up to fifteen men had to stand in order to reject any attack
coming from the Getyrs. Catapults were placed at less than three hundred meters from the
Getyrs army, forming in parallel with their army. Wooden frames, supported by elephants and
catapults structures did not offer complete protection for soldierss feet. With such protection
frame, soldiers could not have been hit if arrows had been launched from the slopes. A rain of
arrows was lunched upon the catapults, but no arrow had reached its target. Over four thousand
55
horsemen were ready to intervene if the catapults would have been attacked by the Getyrs. All
five catapults launched large size stones, breaking huge pieces of rocks used as a barrier by the
Getyrs. If the soldiers would have continued throwing stones, the two rocks had been destroyed.
Dretasim did not understand why cave people didnt launch arrows towards elephant feet
because their firing position was perfect for this.
In a few moments, the cave people launched dozens of arrows into the elephants feet,
which supported the two catapults on the outside. Because of so much pain, the animals could
not be directed anymore and fell down upon other elephants creating a real disaster. Elephants
went back the imperial army, endangering soldiers of the emperor. All the elephants were be
killed in order to restore the imperial army. Soldiers under the protection wooden frame were all
killed by the Getyrs arrows. The king ordered thousands of soldiers, who were equipped with
hundreds of ladders, to attack the circular cities. Fighting was heavy and the Getyrs were
becoming fewer, but the emperor's soldiers were becoming more. Circular cities were attacked
simultaneously by the soldiers sent on the slopes. Soldiers on the slopes weredescending on
ropes, and when they got in front of the cities, they launched arrows inside. Even if the spaces
between the stone columns defending small cities were narrow, some arrows penetrated inside
killing or hurting the Getyr warriors. Later, the soldiers covered those spaces between the stone
columns with their shields. The Getyrs were advised to withdraw if outnumbered. Dretasim
ordered his warriors to destroy the two underground channels behind the two huge rocks that
blocked the imperial advance. Underground tunnels could be destroyed by the explosion of two
pots with explosive substance. There was an explosive pot for each tunnel. Only one tunnel was
destroyed, the other tunnel remaining functional due to the insufficient power of explosion. But
the Getyrs didnt know about that. These tunnels ended at the Canyons slopes, about two
hundred meters from the two cliffs defended by the Getyrs. After Getyrs retiring from the cities,
the Emperor wanted to hit them fatally. The Emperor wanted to attack with his entire army.
Dretasim sent thousands of arrows and a hundred Getyr warriors to the cave people because they
could resist in front of the imperial soldiers. Stredok hadnt attacked yet. It was something the
Getyrs hadnt found yet? The Emperors army was quiet. About two thousand Getyr warriors
came out of the tunnels and expected orders from the two Elmyths. Suddenly they heard a bang
followed by displacement of stones. A few seconds after the bang, they heard people screaming
and fighting. Five thousand imperial soldiers entered the tunnel, still functional, and came up
behind the Getyr warriors. Five hundred wolves dug and dislocated a rock that blocked the
tunnel exit. One soldier told the Emperor Stredok that a tunnel was not fully destroyed and they
could get behind the enemy. Then he sent urgently other five thousands of soldiers, but
fortunately they were trapped by wolves. If these elite troops hadnt been trapped in the tunnel,
they could have won the battle. After launching a series of arrows, four thousand Getyr soldiers
started to fight against five thousand imperial troops. Once the Getyrs went to battle, Dretasim
ordered the warriors to cover the bridge behind rocks with wood and to put stones upon them in
order to keep it away from burning. The imperial army moved on immediately and released
thousands of arrows. No arrow reached its target. The Getyrs and the cave men also launched
56
hundreds of arrows but the Emperors army was too large. After about half an hour of heavy
fighting, the Getyrs seemed to win the battle. There was much loss on both sides of the two
camps. Then, two thousand imperial soldiers surrendered, others were dead and wounded. In
addition, the Getyrs lost many warriors. After about an hour of intense fighting, the two Elmyths
realized that was no chance to succeed and were ordered their men to withdraw into a natural
fortress called the Cliffs of Warriors, which was located one kilometer away from the two rocks.
About thousand Getyr warriors remained to defend the two stones, knowing that all had little
chance of survival. But they were not afraid of death. Only five hundred Getyr warriors reached
the Cliffs of Warriors. There they found some caves, which were actually located some tens of
meters height and that were difficult to reach. The Getyrs could climb using long ropes which
were fixed in there. After reaching the caves, the Getyrs took up the ropes. These caves were safe
places but nobody could not climb anymore. When the Emperor saw where the Getyrs were
positioned, he ordered all imperial soldiers to attack, but many of them, who took part of the
siege, were killed by the warriors of the mountains. Then, he ordered that twenty thousand
soldiers, under cover of shields, to move upstream to the Stones of Warriors and let Getyrs no
chance to escape. Getyrs situation was critical. Suddenly, rain clouds gathered above them and a
storm began. Streams of water were flowing on the Canyon slopes taking down hundreds of
stones. In that area, the river didnt flow through the slopes, as it happened in front of the circular
cities, but it flowed out, on the right side of the Canyon. Imperial soldiers were becoming more
fearful because the rocks hit ever more soldiers. Suddenly, a powerful roar began and, as the
time passed, it could be heard more strongly. Imperial soldiers who had been upstream the
Stones of Warriors started to scream and ran. They could make only a few steps, which a huge
wave of about ten meters height swept them at that very instant. When the Emperor and his
Emperess saw what was happening, they broke into a run immediately ridding their horses.
Military leaders and other thousands of soldiers could save themselves climbing on the Canyon
slopes. After the flood, which destroyed also the two huge rocks of defense, had passed, Stredok
and all those who could climb the slopes tried to escape from the Getyrs as quickly as they could.
Getyrs won the battle. If they had been defeated, they would have withdrawn to the cities in the
Kingdom of Samerzes.
Dretasim: I am convinced that the Emperor Stredok will rebuild his army and attack us again.
Ternes: He needs few years for that.
Ternes: We have to prepare an army of many thousands warriors ready for battle anytime.
Dretasim: We need an army, of course, but more important is to be closer to Nature,
philosophy, practical science and Zaltremex.
Dretasim: When we will be aware of these things, we will be able to develop more sophisticated
weapons and fight with more tenacity.
Dretasim: Zaltremex has been with us through the help we received from Nature.
57
Dretasim: As long as we are close by the Nature and respect it, it always will be with us. We
should have faith in Nature and not try to get rich as the imperial people did.
After paying a tribute to all heroes who have fought alongside, the Getyrs left to their homes in
different kingdoms.
Dretasim: The two brothers, Braptez and Godraz demonstrated, by their actions, that the kings
of all Getyrs, and Teliria and Dersaria their queens.
Dretasim: I will teach Stretian the Elmyths philosophy and I am convinced that he will
become one of Getyrs Elmyths.
The Getyrs were a nation having a high level of spirituality that had embraced much of
the joy of riches, luxury and power. They did not want to take land and riches from others; they
wanted to be left alone to live their lives after their ancestral traditions. The Getyrs were skilled
warriors and famous archers. They hunt no more than they needed, cut wood as necessary and try
to use as much water as they need, but constructively. They were very proud with their crops and
not because they did not have what to eat, but those plants were a part of the Nature itself. They
grew animals as a part of their spiritual community, and not as means of helping with the
housework. All communities of Getyrs respected their neighbors, but they were fierce fighters
for their faith and territory. They made all possible to get closer to the Nature.
Getyrs fought with determination against the Emperor Stredok because they though he
would have separated them from Nature and, later, from their God Zaltremex. They also used
their diamonds and gold to trading, but for them they were just simple stones. Empress Incensa
wanted to destroy the energetic stones and become the only owner of the fabulous Getyrs
wealth. The Emperor thought he could win the war against the Getyrs, but actually, he fought
against Nature itself who gave him a lesson. Dretasim realized that we was to lose the battle
against the Emperor, that was why he called for the last support: Nature.
The Emperor wanted to create a world where wealth, wickedness, and envy to be his
societys pillars, where there were no freedom and respect for Nature and faith.
King wanted everything to be within his own almost non-existent universe but the Getyrs taught
him the importance of having a universe.

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ISBN: 978-973-0-08939-4