Rootworld

Raek woke.
     He found that he was lying on a large gnarled branch deep within the depths of his world.  His gaze traveled upward.  There was no sky to be seen above him.  Only the branches, vines and roots of the huge  trees.  Almost all of these were big enough to build a home in.  In fact, most of the denizens of this world did just that.  There was nothing else to it.  It was just that.  A forest planet whose trees and roots went so deep, that none had ever traveled down to the center and returned.  
     Some of this world’s inhabitants went deeper than others though.  Down deep, beyond the mapped roots and trunks of  it’s more civilized society.  Out of reach of the comforts of the homes carved from the trunks of it’s massive trees.  Out of sight of the sky, and the cogs and wheels that made the huge branches slowly grow from treetop to treetop, like giants reaching for their mate’s loving embrace.
     Deep below this society, lived all manner of beasts and those with darkness in their hearts.  It was these deep dwellers that the world above must be protected from.  There were always guards and militia, but there were also the elite.  Those that had been given this honor were regarded in their home with the utmost respect.  They were the guard of the royal family.  They were the Runelords.
     Though respected, the Runelords were also feared.  To survive the trials of a Runelord, one must be driven almost to madness.  Tortured by dream haunters; huge machines that torment the Runelord’s mind; they train themselves not to sleep.  The dream haunters also served another purpose.  That purpose was to find the fears of the Runelord.  If the fear was not overcome, then death was certain.  Deprived of sleep and haunted by visions of their worst nightmares, they would train.  With sword and staff.  With hand and foot.  Night and day they would train.  Until they felt nothing, not pain, nor emotion.  Not fatigue, nor sickness.  They became the embodiment of death.  
     This was just the beginning of their life as a Runelord.  Before they could take their posts as guardians of the royal family, there were three tests left to pass.
      Straining, Raek sat up.  His whole body burned.  It was as if he had been dipped in acid.  He reached his hand to his shoulder to scratch his skin, only to find that there was no skin to be scratched.  He looked quickly to his hands.  There was no skin.  He only saw tight sinewy muscle.  On his knuckles and the backs of his hands was thin rust colored steel, fused to the muscle.  The same went for the rest of his body.  His skin had been stripped and all that was left was the muscle, with the same steel plates in various places on his body.  His only clothing were loose fitting, ripped leather breeches that were cut just below his knees, baring his now permanently armored feet.  
     He screamed, his voice muffled and hollow in his ears, the steel mask now bolted over his mouth and most of his face, reverberating the sound back into his own mind.
     This was one of the final tests.  Stripped of flesh, steel plates were wound into, and then bolted to what was left.  He became unrecognizable to all who may have known him.  He became a monster.
     Remembering his training, Raek forgot his pain and stood.  On a root to the left he saw another like himself struggling to get to his feet.  He heard a sound below and turned quickly to look.  Yet another Runelord climbing the trunk like a wood crawler.  The newcomer climbed onto the branch Raek was on.  Though his face was obscured by the steel, Raek could tell by his eyes that he was smiling.  His armor was not rust colored like Raek’s, but a gleaming silver.  This marked him as a captain.  He must have been a squad leader during training, but Raek was unsure who he could have been.
     “Now we go up.”  rasped the captain, glancing from Raek to the other Runelord.  “Move it Runelords!”  he ordered, his tone now harsh.  
     Raek looked at his steel tipped fingers.  Small golden runes on each of them nails flared to life and small spikes seemed to grow from them.  The others did the same.  Raek felt his new claws penetrate the wood easily and he began to pull himself up.
     The Captain easily climbed past the two of them, fearlessly taking the lead.  “We must make haste,” he called down to them, “or the beasts...” He was cut short as a shrill, quick whistle rushed past Raek’s ear.
     It was the sound of wings cutting the air.  Raek looked up and saw the captain ripped from the tree by the massive tail of the Chipper.  Before they could react the beast flew out from the trunk, taking the Captain with it.  Spiraling upwards, it bit off the end of a smaller, yet strong branch with it’s massive canine jaws, making the end a sharp spike.
     The Chipper spread its wings and halted it’s flight in mid-air.  With one quick jerk of the muscular tail he threw the captain onto the end of the branch.  It was done with such force that the wood pierced the captain’s armor with a crunch.  Blood and gore sprayed from his chest.  The silver-armored Runelord screamed and his body jerked.  Then went limp as his life left him.
     Raek scrambled around the tree and let himself drop to the nearest branch.  The other remaining Runelord did the same.  The beast flew at them, but they were ready.  Ducking low, Raek reached out a clawed hand as the beast past.  The sharp steel tore through it's leathery wing with ease.  Crippled, the beast landed on the branch just past them.  It looked at them and let out a piercing roar.  It's movement stopped, Raek was able to see it clearly.  It was all scales and fur, it's shredded wing hanging at it's side.  The beast's canine muzzle split into a grin of dagger like teeth.  It could no longer fly, but it crouched low on it's four muscular legs, it's claws making deep gashes in the bark.  
     It was then that Raek realized that he could not make out the Chipper's color.  He also realized that this deep down, there would be no light and he should not be able to see at all.  But he could see, though everything was in shades of gray.
     He was brought out of his musings as the beast charged.  The other Runelord leapt back to the trunk of the tree and began lithely pulling himself up.  Raek, without thinking, retracted his fingertip claws and pointed his mailed fist at the beast.  Three small, but incredibly sharp spikes were sent hurtling towards the beast.  The spikes were attached to steel strands of metal wiring inside the Runelord’s muscle.  He could feel it flowing and winding it’s way out, like a worm burrowing through his skin.  The hooked spikes hit their mark, just below the Chipper’s head, penetrating it’s neck.
     The beast reared back, as if to try and flee from this new mighty prey, but the spikes were deep in it’s flesh and Raek pulled.  The beast was yanked from it’s paws as the Runelord’s wires drew it closer.  He grabbed at the beasts head with his free hand and drove his spiked hand into it’s eyes.  Much like the Captain, the creature jerked, and then went limp.
     After freeing his hooks, Raek retracted them fully and pushed the creature off of the edge of the branch into the darkness below.  The other surviving Runelord made his way back down and came to stand beside him.  Raek looked over at him, his eyes cold and devoid of emotion.
     “A Runelord knows no fear.” Raek told him and then he reached out quickly and without another word, snapped the others neck.
     Raek left the body of the other Runelord on the branch and began his ascent upwards again.