On Hallowed Ground

Prologue

The older generations tell stories of a world before the old ones came. Stories of a time when the sun still warmed the earth, and before the seas were too dangerous to traverse. The world was at peace back then, all the tribes worked together, foxes, wolves, raccoons, even the birds. Sure, we had our differences, but they were minor, and at the end of the day, we were all united by common goals so those differences were often overlooked.

Perhaps it was our fault the world became the way it is, perhaps we should have been more vigilant. We should have kept a closer eye on old sites which were thought to be long forgotten, we should have kept traditions better; if we had, maybe we would have seen the danger before it presented itself, maybe we could have changed it. Then again, maybe not. The world changed so quickly and so furiously, even the knowledge of what was coming may have still been like watching an avalanche crash down around you. You can prepare, but in the end, you cannot stop it.

The exact chain of events linking that time to this one is unclear, and incomplete. However, most tribes agree that it was the lizard tribe who were most likely to blame. The lizard tribe in those days, was obsessed with ancient knowledge and old gods. They sought out answers to questions nobody asked, and sought out secrets that nobody should ever know. They formed secret societies and cults worshiping old gods, and in the end, they found the answers they sought.

The lizards, awoke something ancient, something who had not respect or understanding of our world. The creatures looked at us the way one might look at a gnat or an ant. The old gods had neither the understanding nor the interest to grant the lizard's prayers and in return, they destroyed them, and when they were done, they spread out into the world, changing it to suit their needs.

They stole the warmth from the sun, plunging the land into an ice age, they slithered into the seas turning the waters black and murky, making them thrash and roil with constant storms. They made the earth shake and brought all of us to the brink of extinction, driving us to the far corners of the earth. The gods, it seemed, could not enter our ancestral burial grounds, and so we found ourselves sleeping side by side with our dead as we ourselves clung to life.

That was two generations ago. Every year, the seals weaken, and the old god's influence grows stronger. My name is Kin, I am a champion for the wolf tribe, and I've been training since I was just a pup in order to slay the old gods. Truthfully...I don't even know if it's possible or not, but I can't...we can't afford for me not to, if me and the other champions don't do this, our world will eventually die. I can't...I won't let that happen.