Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

The Tribe of Shadows: Alternate Timeline

Chapter 1: The Frozen North

(Alright, so this is basically going to be a Primitive Plus version of ToS).

As Dilath began to head out hunting, his dodo waddling next to him, the smell of cooking Dilophosaurus and rice wafted over him. He heard a creaking in the branches next to him. Thinking nothing of it, the boy continued to look for prey for his tribe to eat. He already had a decent catch, with a juvenile Megalocerus over his shoulder. Decently far downriver from his village, Dilath hears a faint shout coming from the trees far behind in. A group of fifty raiders stream out, chitin armor reflecting the firelight from the village. Brutal screams come from his home as the five guards of Dilath’s village, at least those who were currently on duty, streamed out to face the raiders. Though the guards had better armor, they were defeated swiftly, their bodies thrown into the river. There had only been one casualty on the raiders’ side. One of the enemy soldiers pulled out an unlit torch and flickered open a weird little box that gave off fire. Lighting the torch, the enemy stepped towards the wooden walls of Reagath, and lit them, carefully. The Imperial raiders laughed, a noise that made Dilath’s blood run cold. People began to run, but Dilath noticed a few raiders that had crossbows. The attempted escapees were quickly slain as the raiders advanced through the village, screams of death echoing as the enemies pillaged the entire town, loading their bounty onto wheelbarrows that farmers had been using to transport goods. ‘Go, go, go! We got all we need, now scramble before reinforcements from the Yurkhall get here!’ The presumed commander of the raiders yelled. ‘No, sir. We’re going to storm the Hall.’ a few soldiers told him. ‘Alright, fine! May as well make this place fully Imperial territory. So, the soldiers marched through the town, burning and killing as they ascended up the hill towards the Yurkhall. There was a garrison of fifteen men at the Yurkhall, who had barricaded the door. Two raiders ripped out a torch from the ground, setting the hardwood doors of the Hall alight. One of the raiders lifted the Imperial banner of a red dragon on a silver background. The flames spread through the hall, burning it out, forcing survivors to the top of the Yurkhall. The Imperials drew their axes to hack the door properly off its hinges. What happened after, Dilath couldn’t see. But he could hear screams and the crackle of a hundred fires. Terrified for his life, and the lives of his friends, Dilath scrambled up the cliff by his town, peering down at the Hall, for any sign of life. All he saw was flickers of red as chitin-wearing Imperials marched burned down the building. The boy moved backwards, towards a hole in a tree. Fitting his small body into it was easy, but staying warm likely wouldn’t. He didn’t have his camping supplies, that was likely burned with the village. And it was a cold, cold night. Sitting down in the tree, Dilath couldn’t sleep. His mind raced too fast, too much. At almost three in the morning, Dilath fell asleep as the world awoke. Waking up a few hours later, the boy’s back was sore. ‘Uggggh.’ Dilath muttered. Shaking his head to clear it, he remembered the horrors of the previous night. So, the hunter travels down towards his village, scanning it for anyone alive. The Imperials were gone.

‘No….’ Dilath slurred. They can’t all be dead, right? He asked himself. After finding no one, Dilath allowed himself a moment to grieve. An entire village, scorched to the ground in just a few hours. His village. Dilath trudges over to the Yurkhall. There were a few spears in an alcove in the wall, and Dilath snatches a few of them, three in a pouch on his back, one in his hand. He had a slingshot at his belt and a few stones in a pouch next to it. Maybe there were a few Imperials left that he could wreak vengeance on. If not, he’d make his way towards the Redwoods to find the hunting colonies that were scattered there, or the Northlands. He’d heard about a recent string of bandit attacks in the North near Valenfell, and the large bounty that would be given to whoever killed the Saberfangs. So, a simple hunting life or work as a bounty hunter in the savage and cold Northlands? The answer was simple. Dilath had always longed to explore, and wouldn’t mind the cold. For some reason, the winter didn’t my seem to effect him nearly as much as with other people. Dilath didn’t know why. (The reason for that is because, let’s just say Dilath isn’t a Raptori in this timeline). But that was aside the point. Dilath wanted revenge. So, the fifteen year old crept into the ruins of the Yurkhall, the smell of burned flesh hanging in the air. Sniffing the air, he detected the faint smell of metal that didn’t come from blood. Dilath dodged just as an Imperial crossbow bolt slammed into the wall where he’d sat seconds before! Dilath fumbled to pull out his sling, and I’m outta space.