Steem Monsters Common Card Fantasy Story Contest Week 3

Fierce, Strong, Determined, and Brave

This is my entry for the Steem Monsters Common Card Fantasy Story Contest! // Week 3, hosted by @steemmonsters.

Karockas the Bold- by @simgirl

One hot summer day in the outskirts of Chalcedonglas a weary summoner of the name Lyanna Natura passed under a great blooming tree to sit upon a rock. Lyanna was a simple summoner with a simple quest and still young in her adventures.

She had traveled many miles to the white splinter to free the captured priestess Coquilla the Innocent from the shadowy clutches of the dark army. Unfortunately, she had lost her way through the dark forest and was now all alone.

As Lyanna was contemplating returning to the Great Forest of Life to abandon her quest for rest and reflection, she heard a grumbling coming from below. The young summoner sat up straight when she felt the rock she was sitting on begin to tremble.

“Excuse me. You are sitting on my head.”

Lyanna jumped to her feet and looked down to see the rock’s somber eyes open and stare in her direction. “I beg your pardon kind Sir. I didn’t realize I was sitting on you. You are a rock? Are you not? I know it’s hot out here, but…”

“Some call me a rock. No one has called me for many, many years Young One.”

“What are you doing here under this tree all alone?” Lyanna asked.

“I have settled here after the great fall. My clan was once a great mountain, but after The Cleansing of Khymia, we were separated and scattered to the four directions. I have not seen another, but you. You are a sight for sore eyes.” He said scoured.

Lyanna smiled at the rock but she could also sense his sadness. She had been traveling for a long time and she too missed the comfort and fellowship of her clan in the Great Forest of Life. “Tell me, what is your name old rock?”

“They call me Karockas.”

“Well Karockas maybe we can help each other.”

Karockas simply groaned.

“I’m on my way to rescue a captured priestess from the Tower of Darkness. I am all alone and have lost all hope. But with a powerful earth element like you, we could defeat the dark forces together.”

“I want to help you Young Sprouting, but as you see I have been broken by the fall. I will remain as I am for all time…”

“Not if I can help it!” Lyanna said; now excited by the challenge. “I have been practicing my summoning powers. I bet I can turn you into the great earth elemental you once were. Let me check my bag of herbs and potions and… here we go! The perfect tonic. Drink this.”

Karockas swallowed the pink potion; delighted by the sweet fruity taste and then smiled.

“I Lyanna Natura, the great summoner of the ancient garden realm, command the elements of nature. Behold I summon Karockas the Bold!”

Lyanna raised her arms to the sky. With a flash of light and a spark of prehistoric life she drew all of nature’s power and cast it into Karockas. The power engulfed him, and he grew from the earth; first his neck, then shoulders, arms, and torso. Strong legs appeared below him, and brass bracelets adorned his flesh golem wrists and ankles.

Lyanna smiled. She knew she could do it. “That’s the easy part! Let’s go!”

After many days of traveling, Lyanna and Karockas entered the dark swamps of Andalusian; the land beyond the pillared grounds. There was no ruling class here, there was only darkness and a foreboding feeling of dread. Lyanna was apprehensive as she walked since she had never traveled this far before, but the confidence of her bold companion crushing anything that crossed their path gave her some hope for survival.

The skies swirled above their heads with a dark pool of dissident spirits commonly known as The Dammed. Their screams called out to the weary travelers in wild desperation as they trudged through the deep, muddy, black waters. This quest seemed impossible, yet Lyanna never once doubted she and Karockas would save the priestess and she would return to the Great Forest with honor and tribute.

Among the darkness Lyanna and Karockas' chief menace lied beyond the swamp at the tower gates where the dark forces gathered and slumbered. They had been traveling for some time and surely the sounds of Karockas’ large, golem fists had been heard by them; the sounds of silence seemed impossible as they drew closer to the gathered army. Without much disturbance the dark forces awakened, and forbidden creatures charged them from all sides.

Kyanna summoned raptors to help fight. As a group they continued to defeat as many of the dark forces as they could as they slowly progressed toward the dark tower. But it was looking grim for them. The darkness was so thick…

In the distance Lyanna could see it; the approaching tower of the gloomiest obsidian glowing among the coal-black night. With quick wit, Lyanna shot a flare of life into the air and the sky lit up with a bright green essence. The dark forces become stunned and dazed from the glow.

Karockas could see all the enemies at once. With much effort he gathered all the rocks from the ground, filled his arms, and then swung his body around in a circle as fast as he could. With the force of the rotation, Karockas released the rocks one at a time, repeatedly until no enemies remained standing.

Lyanna cheered. Her summoned companions slowly disappeared and she and Karockas assuredly charged to the tower. “We got this! By the Life of the Promise Tree we shall overcome the darkness!! Woo-hoo!”

Karockas smiled. Although he could see no clear way into the tower, he couldn’t help but love his new friend’s enthusiasm.

Together they made their way to the Dark Tower unscathed.

The Dark Tower was constructed by the strongest obsidian of the lands before the separation of the splinters. It was erected by the murky creatures of the night as a safe harbor for their queen Dalianis the Soul Seeker. The wise queen was known to have grand visions and would retreat to her tower for peace and transformation. These were hidden powers Lyanna was cautioned not to study, and so she knew little more than the fact that this tower had been made to be indestructible.

With all the summoning power Lyanna could muster she transformed the nearby rocks into tiny versions of her comrade Karockas and commanded them to tear down the walls of the tower. The sight was spectacular as the mini Karockases sent their solid fists into the tower which resulted in sparks flying all around them. After a short period, Lyanna and Karockas could see there was no way to get inside.

Karockas looked down at his little friend as tears began to fill her eyes. Lyanna had gotten so far in her quest, and he wanted to help. But how could he; he was nothing more than a big pile of earth…

Karockas lifted his fists in anger and with a mighty roar he smashed the ground with all his might. The earth began to quake and tremble beneath their feet. Lyanna sensed his rage and raised her arms and in one last-ditch exertion of desperation she summoned all of nature’s wrath she could.

The combination of their powers created a tidal wave of rocks that forged against the Dark Tower with fierce crashing blows; cracking the walls of the tower and providing them an entrance to save the priestess.

As Lyanna, Karockas, and the Priestess traveled back to Chalcedonglas they rivaled over their quest completion. When Coquilla the Innocent explained the details of the heroic rescue to the elders of the High Order, the stories of their valiant fortune grew through the myths and stories of the Khymians.

To reward Lyanna Natura for her noble determination to save the priestess from the dark forces, she was given a sack of gold and a special blessing from the Angel of Light. She could now use her summoning powers to summon a healing sprout. The sprout could be summoned in battle and will restore health to all friendly monsters nearby.

Karockas the Bold, as he would be called from then on, would always be available for Lyanna to summon with little effort or energy. Karockas was given a swirling crown of pebbles to adorn his head, and the power of a stone shield. The stone shield could be used briefly to protect his closest comrades in battle.

Lyanna and Karockas were the guests of a special celebration and Khymia blessed her subjects with a spectacular display of fireworks and lights in the heavens. The day was marked on the Khymian almanac as a special day of trading old collector’s stones between different classes of the Chalcedonglas splinter.

Throughout all Splinterlands, the story of Lyanna Natura and Karockas the Bold were told and retold. And everyone knew their name. They charged cheerfully into battle together and inspired all those around them with energy and life. Many young summoners to this day see Lyanna Natura as a great heroine and notable summoner of the Garden Realm.

-The End-

Thanks for reading.

All photos (except bitmoji) captured from Steemmonsters.com