The Wrath Of the Forgotten
This book is dedicated to all those who truly understand how wonderful and magical friendship is. Life is so much more enjoyable and meaningful when you are capable of giving and receiving love, respect, and support earnestly.
I have been blessed to have a wonderful set of friends and family who have supported and encouraged me on my writing journey. To those who I call friend and family, thank you for all that you do. You know who you are.
This book is especially dedicated to the following individuals: To God for granting me a creative soul, to Daniel Wilkens for being my editor, to Jay Noel for being a constant mentor for my writing journey, to James Massey for designing my logo, to Enggar Adirasa for doing my cover art, and to Pink Ink Designs for doing my formatting.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and places are works of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to any places or persons, living, dead, or fictional is entirely coincidental. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any matter whatsoever without the expressed written permission of the publisher, except for use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN # - 978-0692536131
Printed in the United States of America
Kapuha Press
Copyright 2015 Michael Ignacio, Jr. All rights reserved
Edited by Daniel Wilkens
Cover art by Enggar Adirasa
Cover Design, Interior and Exterior Formatting by
Pink Ink Designs
TOV GAZED UPON
the city full of people who were destined to be slaughtered. A sudden chill crawled up his spine with a slow, determined pace. The wind blew through his long red hair, and his strands blew back behind him. He took a deep breath and shook his hands slightly in order to perhaps shake off his anxiety. His insides still hummed with a potent anxiety that left him feeling hollow inside.
Dozens of dark grey mountains stood around him and the city like silent, eerie spectators. A brilliant blue sky hung overhead. Only a few clouds hung listlessly about, creating smaller shadows on the rocky ground. Tov drew in another breath, and his head swam. A small cyclone of dizziness danced in his head. He dismissed it.
Tall stone walls the same color as the surrounding rock stood erect in the distance. Humans clad in battle armor patrolled the tops of the walls. Due to the guards’ relaxed movement patterns, Tov and his numerous friends had remained unnoticed. Had they been discovered, the giant stone maw that made up the front gate of Onista would have been closed. At the moment however, the iron portcullis was raised into the hidden recesses of the gate house. Thousands of homes spanned the interior of the city, all populated by the dreaded Onistan people. Though they were still humans, the Onistans were something different, something dangerous.
The day would be painted by blood.
If Tov were alone, he could enter the city with relative ease. Humans always confused his kind, the Yaoguai, as sickly-looking people just like them. Their ignorance often proved to be disastrous, just as it would today.
Tov took several steps back out of sight and then whirled around to behold his friends. Well, “friends” was not the right word. Most creatures avoided the Yaoguai like plague carriers, and those who interacted with the sickly-looking race did so with extreme reservation. The Oni, didn’t care about the so-called curse that lingered around the Yaoguai.
The Oni were quite unique. These ogres had two variations of skin color: fire red or deep ocean blue. Massive horns jutted from each of their skulls, thick hair sprouted from their scalps like untamed bushes, and sharp teeth and lower protruding tusks jutted from their thin lips. Each of the Oni stood at least ten feet tall and had body types that ranged from extremely muscular to overweight. They all carried gigantic weapons and wore poorly-maintained battle armor made from leather cords and lacquered plates. Tov’s head came no higher than the chest of the shortest of the ogres.
One of the largest blue Oni stepped up to Tov as he approached them. This ogre had a thick black beard on his chin and a golden crown upon his brow. A massive axe rested against the Oni’s right shoulder. His blood red eyes glimmered in the sunlight.
The Oni King licked his lips. His voice rumbled like a landslide. “So are we going to start this thing before lunch? My boys are itching for human flesh.”
“Calm yourself, your highness,” Tov said. “You’ll have your fill of blood, gore, and violence soon enough. We haven’t received the signal yet.”
The Oni King tightened the grip on his axe’s haft. “Your Yaoguai grunts had better come soon. I’ve been dreaming of this moment ever since I was small enough to slurp on my mother’s teat.”
Dry soreness coated the insides of Tov’s throat. “My people will do their part. Make sure that your warriors do the same. Our masters have high expectations of you.”
The Oni King beat his chest. “Have you forgotten who I am, little Yaoguai? I am Gayjock, the Blue Death! The masters have nothing to fear with me leading their army.”
Two bright yellow wings of energy burst from Tov’s back. He leaped into the air and rose up so that his nose nearly touched the Oni’s. “You’re not leading this army. I am! You will go when I tell you to, or I’ll put you down! Do I make myself clear?”
For a long moment, Gayjock locked eyes with Tov. Tension crackled in the air. Tov’s palms became moist. His bones trembled within his limbs. His spirit exploded into an enormous inferno. A great liquid heat seeped into Tov’s veins, and any anxiety that quaked within him faded. The rage festered into his eyes.
Gayjock licked his lips and took a single step back away from Tov. “I understand what you’re saying. I don’t want to cause problems with you. I simply want human flesh.”
Tov landed at Gayjock’s feet. His wings dissipated into his back. “Prepare your forces then. I anticipate my scouts will be returning soon.”
The Oni King peered over Tov’s head and grinned. “It looks like we’re in luck. Here they come.”
Tov rounded and gazed at the small group of Yaoguai flying toward him. His heart stopped. He clenched his fists tightly as he walked up to the group of four. Like all Yaoguai, the four individuals resembled humans who possessed various darken blotches on their skin. They appeared haggard and exhausted, and their faces were gaunt and wrought with anguish. Energy wings of various colors extended off of their backs. The young girl at the front of the group beamed a sheepish smirk at him as she landed. She possessed light pink wings.
She brushed the bright red hair out of her face. “S-scout returning, Commander. I have news to report.”
Tov’s eyes narrowed. “What are you doing here? I didn’t bring you along.”