Thunder Over Crow Mound
The mountain groaned beneath the earth, a low, insidious vibration as if the very bones of the world stirred from a deep slumber. The rumbling was distant at first, a mere whisper of movement, but it soon grew into a steady pulse. A dark energy rippled through the underground chamber, suffusing the stark white space with a presence that was both alien and ancient. The air was thick and heavy with anticipation, and every breath felt like a burden.
In the center of this underground sanctum, Clementine stood alone in the subterranean chamber. A tall, solemn figure, her long black hair bound in intricate braids, she was draped in a dark blue robe that hung from her slender frame like a mantle of the night sky. The air was heavy, thick with a tension she could feel pressing against her skin. It was as if the atmosphere itself had grown dense, weighed down by the oppressive presence of dark energy that pulsed through the chamber, illuminating the stark white space with an eerie glow. Her deep, knowing eyes reflected the tension in the room. They had grown dark, an unnatural blue that matched the hue of the black water that lay in the massive circular pool before her. The water’s surface churned with restless energy, its inky depths almost alive with something sinister.
The water seemed to drink in the light, reflecting nothing, an abyss that held secrets too terrible to contemplate. Clementine stood motionless, her dark blue robe flowing around her like a second skin, the fabric barely stirring despite the trembling of the ground. Her breath came in shallow, controlled pulses, her mind in tune with the rising tide of ancient power filling the chamber.
Soft chanting began to echo in the chamber, barely audible at first but growing in volume as Clementine swayed to its rhythm. Her eyes were now entirely consumed by the dark blue light, her head tilted back, her gaze fixed on the nothingness above her. Her body moved in harmony with the chant, swaying slightly, as though she were tethered to the very vibrations rippling through the chamber.
Without warning, the water began to churn. Small, imperceptible ripples at first, but soon the surface was alive, twisting and writhing as if something monstrous lurked beneath. The chanting grew frantic, rising in pitch and speed. Clementine’s body trembled, her eyes rolling back as though possessed by the rhythm of the dark energy.
Then, as if summoned by an invisible hand, she collapsed forward, her body sinking into the pool. The cold water engulfed her, pulling her deeper into the abyss. For a moment, she was suspended in darkness, weightless. A large maw, hidden beneath the surface, appeared. Its jaws, wide and unforgiving, clamped down around her, pulling her deeper into the blackness. The pool swallowed her whole, leaving the chamber eerily still, save for the quiet ripple of disturbed water.
Clementine jerked awake with a strangled gasp, her chest heaved as she fought to catch her breath, her hand instinctively rising to her heart as if to steady its wild pounding. Sweat poured from her skin, drenching the thin bedroll beneath her. The faint, flickering light of a candle on a nearby table barely illuminated the small room she found herself in. Her hut. A familiar place, but tonight it felt claustrophobic and oppressive. The pungent smell of herbs mixed with the dampness of the storm raging outside, each gust of wind making the wooden walls creak and groan in protest.
For a moment, she lay there, paralyzed by the remnants of the dream, or was it a vision? The images of the pool, the chanting, the serpent, clung to her mind like cobwebs. Slowly, she closed her eyes, exhaling a long, shaky breath.
“Uhhh…” she whispered, barely able to form words. Her voice was rough, thick with the weight of what she had just experienced.
Her fingers grazed the triangular scar just above her breastbone, a faint reminder of a time long past, a mark left by the very forces that seemed to call her now. “Just a dream…” she murmured, though deep down, she knew it was far more than that. “A haunting one.”
There was no time for hesitation. Whatever this was, it was too powerful to ignore. She needed answers. And there was only one person who might be able to provide them. With determination, Clementine rose from her bedroll, her movements sharp and urgent as she dressed herself in haste. The storm outside howled, but it only mirrored the growing storm within her.
“I must talk to the Chief. Immediately,” she said aloud, steeling herself for what was to come.
Dreams like this were never just dreams.
The storm outside roared with fury as Clementine threw open the door to her hut, the wind slamming it against the wall with a force that echoed the turmoil within her mind. Rain lashed against her, sharp as needles, soaking her robe within seconds. The wind tore at her braids, whipping them around her face. Overhead, the sky split open, lightning cracking through the heavens, illuminating the vast expanse of the plains that stretched out before her.
Earthen mounds dotted the landscape, their silhouettes stark and shadowy against the stormy horizon. But the mounds were not quiet, even in this violent weather. All around her, the Dolgani moved with purpose through the storm with the grace and power of their kind, their four-armed forms cutting imposing figures against the chaotic backdrop. Their leather armor, adorned with blue feathers, caught the brief flashes of light, shimmering like the storm itself had blessed them. Even in the pouring rain, their feathers shimmered like sapphires, a beacon of their resilience. They worked tirelessly, unfazed by the storm, but Clementine could sense an undercurrent of unease rippling through the village. Something had shifted in the air tonight.
Clementine didn’t stop to acknowledge them. She pushed forward, her feet sinking into the mud with every hurried step, her robe plastered to her skin, whipped violently in the wind as she hurried through the storm. Through the relentless rain her eyes locked on the largest mound in the distance—a massive formation shaped like a crow, its silhouette looming ominously against the horizon. Crow Mound. The seat of sacred power for the Dolgani, and the place where Chief Un would be waiting.
Reaching the base of Crow Mound, she ascended the steep stairs, the wind pushing her back with every step. Her legs ached, and her body screamed for rest, but she ignored it. The ascent was grueling, the earthen stairs slick with rain and mud. Each step felt heavier than the last as if the weight of her vision pulled her down. Thunder boomed overhead, deafening, and the storm seemed to grow angrier with every passing moment, as if in response to her urgency.
Finally, she reached the summit. At the top of the mound, a large hut stood, its simple structure dwarfed by the storm that raged around it. She wasted no time. With a final burst of energy, she shoved the door open and stumbled inside, drenched and breathless.
“Chief Un!” she called, her voice urgent, nearly lost in the roar of the wind.
Inside, the air was still and warm, a stark contrast to the violence outside. Chief Un sat cross-legged in the center of the room, his eyes closed in meditation. His body was massive, even for a Dolgani, his broad shoulders draped in thick leather robes. His skin was pale, marked with the lines of countless battles and years of wisdom. Slowly, he opened his eyes and regarded Clementine his gaze heavy with knowing as he turned toward her
“What troubles you, Clementine?” His voice was deep, and steady, carrying the weight of countless years of wisdom.
Clementine stepped forward, her body still trembling from the cold and the dream. “The dream…” she began, her voice faltering. “Of the serpent… again. The Primordial Transmutation. I feel it, Chief. I play a role in its activation.”
Her voice faltered, and for the first time in many years, fear flickered in her eyes. Chief Un listened in silence, his expression unreadable, though the rumble of thunder outside seemed to punctuate the tension between them. Clementine’s hands clenched at her sides, the fear and uncertainty building within her like a storm of its own.
“The world is unaware of the elemental dance at play, Chief,” she continued, her voice breaking. “The storm, the serpent… something is coming.”
For a moment, Chief Un’s form seemed to flicker, and in that brief instant, Clementine glimpsed something else—something more. The spiritual form of a massive thunderbird, its wings spread wide, hovered behind him, an ethereal presence. A crack of lightning split the sky, and for a heartbeat, the hut was filled with sharp, unnatural shadows.
“The spirit of transmutation is upon us,” Chief Un said softly, his voice resonating with the crackle of energy.
He rose to his full height, towering over her. There was a calmness to him, a certainty that made Clementine feel as though she were standing on the precipice of something far greater than herself. Without another word, he motioned for her to follow.
Outside, the storm’s fury had only grown. The wind howled louder, the rain coming down in torrents. Clementine followed Chief Un across the plains, the ground slick and treacherous beneath their feet. Their destination was a stone circle, glowing faintly under the storm-choked sky, a sacred place where the Dolgani communed with the elements. The chaotic fire atop the stone structure flickered wildly, casting erratic light over the ancient stones. Two large eyes were etched into the structure, connected by a bond of raw energy.
Chief Un paused before a stone structure that stood at the center of the circle. It was ancient, carved with symbols long forgotten by most. Two large eyes were connected by a bond, an unbreakable tie between the elements. The air hummed with energy as Chief Un turned to Clementine, his form flickering once more with the presence of the thunderbird.
“Remember who you are,” he said, his voice firm, resonant, and filled with the weight of destiny.
Before she could respond, the two massive stone pillars at the edge of the circle split apart, revealing a stormy, ethereal mirage beyond. It was a portal, a gateway to a realm beyond the physical world. Clementine felt her heart race, her pulse pounding in her ears as she stepped forward into the storm’s vision.
The storm was alive. Clementine could feel it in her bones, in the marrow of her being. The land moaned beneath her feet, and the weight of the great mother’s pain pressed down on her soul. Every gust of wind felt like a cry, and the earth beneath her shifted as if in torment. The sky above was a swirling mass of black clouds, tinged with an unnatural green hue, where lightning danced like serpents in the heavens. The air was thick with moisture, and every breath felt like it was drawn through water.
Clementine stood in the eye of this maelstrom, her body trembling, not from fear, but from the sheer magnitude of the power surrounding her. Before her, the landscape warped and twisted, revealing the broken skeleton of an ancient serpentine creature lying along the path. Its bones stretched for miles, each rib as large as a Dolgani mound, curling upward like the remains of some long-forgotten titan.
She stepped closer, drawn to the sight of the creature. It was not just a skeleton, but something more—an ancient spirit, a remnant of a time before memory. As she gazed upon it, she felt the pull of something deep within her soul, as if a part of her had known this creature once, in another life.
“No… not just a spirit,” she whispered, her voice lost in the howl of the wind. “The Hydro.”
The word fell from her lips like an invocation, and as it did, the sky above her shuddered. A symbol flickered into existence, burning bright against the storm. It was an upside-down blue triangle, glowing with raw energy, pulsing in time with the heartbeat of the storm. The moment it appeared, the intensity of the wind doubled, the storm’s fury amplifying as if summoned by the symbol’s power.
Clementine’s vision blurred as the ground beneath her shifted, and suddenly, Clementine was ripped from the vision and back into the real world, standing once more within the stone circle. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air, her body drenched and trembling. Chief Un stood beside her, calm and resolute, his eyes watching the storm with a quiet understanding.
The rain continued to pour down, soaking her to the bone, but it felt different now. Every drop that hit her skin seemed to sizzle as if it carried the weight of the storm’s anger.
“There is more than meets the senses this blue harvest moon,” he said softly.
Clementine nodded, though she could barely find the words to respond. She could feel it too, the primordial fusion at work. The storm was not just weather—it was an embodiment of change, of chaos. Something ancient and powerful was stirring beneath the surface of their world, and she could feel it pressing against the boundaries of reality.
“Something tells me…” she began, her voice trembling, “great change approaches. Pure chaos. Pure darkness.”
Before Chief Un could respond, the earth beneath them erupted. A deafening explosion rocked the ground, sending tremors through the stone circle. Clementine staggered, barely keeping her footing as a massive tornado tore through one of the mounds in the distance, sending shockwaves through the plains. The sky darkened even further, the wind howling with malicious glee.
Through the storm stepped a figure, massive and imposing, his pale skin glowing against the backdrop of destruction. QORF, a pale cloud giant, towered over the battlefield, his purple battle robes billowing in the wind. As he raised his arms to the sky, strikes of wind tore through the village. Huts exploded in a frenzy of debris, and the Dolgani warriors scattered, their once-orderly ranks thrown into chaos. His eyes gleamed with a sinister light, and his booming laughter echoed across the plains, louder than the thunder itself.
“Oh good, a stormy day,” Qorf sneered. “Let us add to the chaos!”
He raised his arms again, his movements deliberate and precise, as though he were conducting the very elements themselves. With a flick of his wrist, the wind obeyed, twisting into massive strikes that tore through the mounds, sending huts and debris flying into the air.
Clementine watched in horror as the storm descended and the village crumbled before her eyes. Her heart raced, panic rising in her chest. The young ones… Her mind screamed as she saw the children, barely visible through the storm, struggling to find shelter. They were being pulled into the wind, their small bodies helpless against the force of the tornadoes.
“No!” Clementine shouted, her voice breaking with desperation. She took a step forward, her instincts to protect overpowering the fear that had held her frozen.
Chief Un stood tall, undeterred by the chaos unfolding around him.
“Dolgani” Chief Un shouted above the roar of the wind. “The Giants! They’ve shown their hand!”
His eyes, now burning with resolve, focused on Qorf as he summoned a massive pike from the air. The weapon glowed with an ethereal energy, its tip sparking as lightning struck it, filling it with the power of the storm. Clementine felt the sheer force of the storm channeling through Chief Un—his presence was more than that of a mere warrior; he was the embodiment of the storm itself.
His gaze remained locked on Qorf, whose sneering laughter echoed through the stormy night. The giant, floating high above the battlefield, his feet hovering within a swirling tornado vortex, seemed to delight in the destruction. Qorf raised his arms again, and with a twist of his hands, summoned more winds that ravaged the village, tearing apart huts and sending the Dolgani into further disarray.
Qorf grinned, his pale skin glowing in the flashes of lightning. “This should be fun!” His voice carried with it the weight of malice as he launched himself higher into the air, his form now a whirlwind of wind and power.
The Dolgani warriors, disciplined and proud, rushed toward him with their weapons drawn. But it was chaos. The ground had turned into thick mud, sucking at their feet as they struggled to maintain their footing. Bolts of lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the scene for brief moments: Dolgani warriors charging, only to be thrown back by gusts of wind; others crashing into the mud as the elements overwhelmed them.
Qorf descended upon them like a god of the storm, tearing through their ranks with fists full of wind and fury. He hurled them aside as if they were nothing more than leaves caught in a gust. The Dolgani fought valiantly, their leather armor gleaming with rain and their blue feathers bright against the darkened sky, but they were no match for the fury of the wind. Huts exploded under the force of the storm, and warriors were tossed through the air like ragdolls, their cries swallowed by the roaring wind. The storm consumed everything in its path, leaving the once-thriving village in shambles.
Chief Un, undaunted by the carnage, charged toward Qorf. His pike crackled with energy, and he leaped into the air, aiming for the cloud giant with a precision strike. Qorf barely had time to react as the glowing pike struck him in the chest, sending a burst of lightning through his body.
For a moment, it seemed as though Chief Un had the upper hand, but Qorf’s strength was far greater than anyone could have anticipated. With a roar of defiance, Qorf summoned a dual vortex, the winds spiraling together in a violent explosion that struck Chief Un with devastating force. The mighty Dolgani Chief was flung across the battlefield, his body slamming into the base of Crow Mound with a sickening thud.
Clementine’s heart nearly stopped as she saw the Chief fall. “No… the mound…” she whispered, her voice trembling as fear gripped her.
Qorf chuckled, “Oh come now… don’t be too sentimental”.
Qorf’s laughter echoed across the ruined plains as he turned his attention to the towering crow-shaped mound. The symbol of their village. Their home.
“Now for the best part,” Qorf sneered, his voice dripping with malicious excitement. He raised his hands, and with a deliberate motion, summoned two celestial balls of wind, each swirling with destructive energy. With a flick of his wrists, he sent them hurtling toward Crow Mound.
Clementine could only watch in horror as the twin orbs struck the mound with a force that shattered the earth. The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, and in a matter of seconds, the entire structure began to crumble. The crow-shaped mound, which had stood for centuries as a symbol of strength and unity, collapsed into a thousand fractals, dissolving into dust and rubble.
The world seemed to slow as the mound fell. Clementine’s breath caught in her throat, her mind reeling. Everything—the village, the people, the history—gone in the blink of an eye. Her body felt numb, the weight of the devastation too much to bear.
“The mound… all the work… gone…” she whispered, her voice a fragile echo of the despair that now filled her.
Amidst the ruins, Qorf descended from his tornado vortex, landing with a thundering crash on the broken ground. He stood before Clementine, his towering figure casting a shadow over her. His pale face was twisted into a dark smile, his eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction.
“Do not miss your purpose, Clementine,” Qorf said, his voice low and menacing. “The age of the Titans has just begun.”
Before Clementine could react, Qorf unleashed a final, devastating blast of wind, the force of which sent her and the remaining Dolgani flying backward. The blast tore through the village, creating a massive crater that radiated outward, leaving the once vibrant land barren and broken.
As the dust settled, Clementine found herself half-buried in the dirt, her body bruised and battered. She coughed weakly, the taste of blood and earth filling her mouth. Her vision swam, but as the chaos around her began to fade, she saw something flickering in the sky above.
A serpent.
The form, massive and serpentine, twisted across the stormy heavens, its dark body illuminated by the flashes of lightning. Its presence was as undeniable as it was terrifying, a reminder of the ancient power that had haunted her dreams.
Clementine struggled to her feet, her legs shaky, her body drenched from the rain and her own sweat. Her eyes, now glowing with the same dark blue light she had seen in her vision, fixed on the serpent as it slithered across the sky. There was something more than just the physical destruction here—something deeper, more primal.
Primordial Transmutation.
She had spoken of it in her dream, and now, here it was, unfolding before her. The world, the very fabric of reality, was shifting. She could feel it in her bones, in the earth beneath her feet. The balance of elements—fire, water, earth, air—was breaking down, giving way to something new. Something dangerous.
“Chief…” she murmured, her eyes searching the battlefield for any sign of the Dolgani leader.
Chief Un, battered and bruised, stood near the ruins of Crow Mound, his massive frame outlined by the flickering light of the storm. His pike, still glowing with residual energy, was buried in the ground at his feet. He was alive, but barely.
Clementine stumbled toward him, her mind racing. There had to be a way to stop this. To end the chaos. But even as she approached, she could feel the world itself unraveling around them. The air crackled with a strange energy, and the ground beneath them trembled with the force of the elemental fusion.
“The serpent…” Clementine said breathlessly, her voice filled with awe and fear. “It’s coming. The Hydro.”
Chief Un nodded slowly, his eyes dark with understanding. “The spirit of transmutation,” he said quietly. “We cannot stop it now.”
The two of them stood in silence for a moment, the storm raging around them. The village lay in ruins, the Dolgani scattered and broken. Qorf’s laughter still echoing in the distance. Clementine knew that this was only the beginning. The true storm had yet to come.
As she gazed up at the serpent form flickering across the sky, Clementine felt a strange calm wash over her. The chaos, the destruction, the death—it was all part of something greater. Something ancient and inevitable. The elements were shifting, and with them, the world itself would change.
The age of the Titans had begun.