In a small town of Jostono, a crowd was gathered around a podium. There were murmurs among the townspeople of the Great War. They knew that the Gods were getting restless, and that other towns had been ravaged by their legendary fighting. The TownKing was standing on the podium, looking very afraid. Everyone waited anxiously for him to speak, since he had announced that he had very important news. The crowd was nervously shifting their feet, the Gold supply had been running low, and they couldn't afford to hold off an invading God. Most towns had already claimed a God, but Jostono didn't have the resources or the worshippers to appease and call down one. They all jumped when the TownKing spoke. He spoke with a deep, booming voice, which was laced with sorrow.
"It is to my regret that our town has become poor this season", some townsfolk were already weeping, "And it has come to my attention that a larger town, Reganas, is on the warpath with their God,
Anubis." He looked down, then spoke again, "And our scouts report that Anubis is on his way here. He is expected to be here in a fortnight." The TownKing looked down, then stepped off the podium.The crowd was stunned into silence. For once in his life, the TownKing didn't know what to say. As the crowd started dispersing a young man dressed in robes of gold and blue ran up to the TownKing and spoke with him excitedly. The TownKing and the young man ran back to the podium and the TownKing started speaking once more.
"Wait everybody wait! I have another announcement!"
Maybe it was the excitement in his voice, but everyone gathered back around the podium.
"This young man here, Rowan, has found a way to call down a god of our own!" The TownKing announced with a grand gesture, all previous sorrow gone. The TownKing nudged the shuffling man forward on the podium and he starting speaking. He sounded very nervous, but hopeful.
"I have been searching for ways to prevent other Gods from attacking our town, but nothing can be done to stop them. Anubis will reach here in a fortnight, and there is little we can do." The crowd was excited, but confused. "But there is very much that a God can do!" Rowan's eyes gleamed, and he glanced at the scroll he was carrying.
"I managed to contact the Chinese Mage Council and they were sympathetic to our plight. But, the only God that hasn't been called down yet was the Dragon King
Ao Kuang, with good reason. Ao Kuang is extremely aggressive and there is a very likely chance that he could attack the people who summon him, which would be us. They instructed me to use him as a last resort."The crowd erupted into shouts and questions about Ao Kuang and Rowan. The TownKing spoke up again.
"Rowan, the War Chief, the Town Representative, and I will all have a War Council this afternoon, and discuss what is best for the town. Until then, prepare your families to be transported to the Barracks for the upcoming battle".
The crowd quieted down significantly after this, and begrudgingly dispersed to their homes and various taverns.
The War Council was in session for 7 days, and a decision still hadn't been made. The TownKing, Rowan, were in favor of calling down Ao Kuang as soon as possible, but the War Chief and the Town Representative were in favor of making war preparations, and if they coudn't hold off on their own then call down Ao Kuang. The Town Representative didn't want to call down Ao Kuang because there was a good chance that he would attack the town and the townspeople. And he had to look out for the townspeople's best interests.
After much deliberation, the War Chief sided with Rowan and the TownKing, and it was decided to call down Ao Kuang the next morning, which would leave 7 days to prepare for the upcoming battle.
The next morning the townspeople were herded into the barracks, the safest building in the town, and all of the soldiers, Rowan, the TownKing, and the War Chief were all gathered at the towns northern side, where the North Village Fountain was located. There were two fountains, and Anubis was expected to break through the towns walls by the South Fountain.
Rowan looked around nervously, then asked the TownKing a question. "Have you gathered all of the required materials?" Gesturing to a large pile of assorted items.
"Holy Water from the cleanest well, a piece of charred wood from a lightning strike, plus 500 pounds of Sea Salt, which would be all we have left, and 1500 Gold pieces- which is all we have left too," The TownKing looked pointedly at Rowan, "This had better work, or I'll let you be the first to charge Anubis."
Rowan was very scared and didn't know if this would actually work. Calling down a God was no small business and he was just one mage, most times, one was called down by team of as many as fifteen.
He looked down at the ancient Chinese sigil etched into the ground, and the meager offering pile in the center, them he started chanting. His vision went white as ancient symbols flashed upon his vision and the sigil started to glow. The offering pile started disintegrating and the wind picked up. Lightning flashed overhead and the TownKing and War Chief both looked around in fright.
But as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Rowan stopped chanting just in time to see the offering pile and sigil disappear. He looked around, looking to see if anything changed.
The TownKing spoke up, "Rowan it didn't work. We are doomed, do you hear me, doomed! I'll feed you to Anu-"
And suddenly a loud bang sounded and a brilliant light flashed, and there in the sky was Ao Kuang.
PART 2 HERE
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