TORIN YOUTH - CHAPTER 01: THE TRAITOR

Twelve years ago...

In a war that has raged for over a century, once again, the Torinians clash with the sphinxes and their elven allies.

Over Crystal Island (also known as Iracal Island), smoke coils above a shattered battlefield as silhouettes clash in the sky.

A harpy dives, a Torinian archer mounted on her head, loosing elemental arrows as they swoop toward a sphinx.

The sphinx retaliates, tearing the harpy from the air.

Torinian legionnaires clash with elves below.

Their weapons exchange fire across the field.

Inside a command tent, a legionnaire studies a marked map, tracking the shifting fronts of battle.

“This is it," he says to his fellow legionnaires with surety on his face. "We have the upper hand on the sphinxes. If we win here, we break their hold on the Valley of Atomata—and with it, their backbone. Give everything you have.”

A centurion bursts into the tent, urgency etched on his face.

“Legate Taiyo—the Scarlet Vixen has been sighted. She could strike at any moment.”

Legate Taiyo pounds his fist against the table.

“Gods damn it! That she-devil couldn’t have picked a worse time. Get the ballistae aimed on her now. Kill her before she kills us!”

As Taiyo storms out, a female soldier concealed outside the tent listens intently.

“Looks like it’s now or never,” she says quietly.

She slips away toward the Vixen, her intentions unclear—perhaps even treacherous.

The Scarlet Vixen towers over the battlefield, staring down the soldiers.

The ninety-nine-foot-tall fox-human hybrid unleashes a telekinetic shockwave. Trees snap. Soldiers are hurled aside like leaves.

Nearby sphinxes take notice.

“It’s the Vixen again!” the leader calls out.

A subordinate prepares to switch targets. “Should we attack her?”

“No. She is not our enemy—this time," the sphinx leader surmises. "Press forward while the bird people scatter.”

With Torinian lines collapsing under the surprise assault, the sphinxes advance.

High above, the giant Demon Harpy Aello spots them exploiting the chaos.

“Sh—!”

She dives, striking at the sphinxes in a desperate attempt to halt their advance.

On the Vixen’s forehead, a mark resembling an open eye glows as she flexes her psionic power, levitating enemies and hurling both them and their weapons aside.

Her three tails sway independently behind her.

The giant sphinxes eye the Vixen cautiously as they battle the Torinians and their harpy allies, never certain how long her restraint toward them will last.

Legate Taiyo watches his forces unravel.

“This is a disaster," he shouts angrily. "All ballista—focus fire on the Scarlet Vixen! We cannot lose more men!”

Centurions shout orders. Ballista crews pivot and take aim.

A soldier cries out, “There’s someone with her! She—she’s got a hostage!”

Taiyo stiffens and looks closer.

A woman removes her helmet, standing directly before the Vixen.

The Vixen gazes down at her—hesitant, almost calmed.

Legate Taiyo is horrified by the realization that hits him.

“No… it can’t be.”

He bellows across the battlefield, “Cadmeia! You traitor!”

From above, the harpy General Aello screams a warning.

“SPHINXES INCOMING!”

The momentary distraction is fatal. Sphinxes surge past Aello and crash into the Torinian ranks.

Legate Taiyo is desperate to eliminate the Vixen.

“FIRE! Kill the Vixen—and the traitor!”

Ballistae thunder. Elemental bolts slam into the Scarlet Vixen.

Moments later, the weapons pivot, firing into the oncoming sphinxes.

The Vixen steadies herself amid the barrage.

She looks down.

Cadmeia’s body lies still at her feet.

Rage ignites.

The Scarlet Vixen lifts her gaze and fixes on Legate Taiyo in the distance.

Taiyo sees that she yet lives.

“Reload! Fire again!” he shouts.

The Vixen charges.

Four soldiers scramble to ready a ballista—

—but the Vixen crashes into it, shattering the frame and flinging the crew aside.

Taiyo is thrown to the ground as she lands nearby.

The colossal fox narrows her eyes.

Taiyo barely raises his weapon before a massive hand slams down.

He is lifted, dangling helplessly before the Vixen’s face, given a single heartbeat to behold the fury burning in her eyes.

Her jaws part.

Legate Taiyo screams, “NO—!”

Nearby soldiers flee as their commander’s screams are swallowed by the towering giantess.

Inside the Vixen’s mouth, Taiyo’s outstretched hand vanishes down her throat.

...

Twelve years after the historic battle in the Valley of Atomata—where the Torinians suffered devastating losses of life and territory, due in no small part to the interference of the Scarlet Vixen—Torin City, ‘the light on the hill,’ still stands strong at the summit of Mount Litocoro.

Protected by two great walls that surround the city…

…by soldiers manning powerful energy-based weapons…

…and by giant harpies on constant patrol, this is as good a place to live as any human can hope for.

In a world filled with gigantic, man-eating creatures—where humans are little more than meals to those same beings…

…the city of Torin, where humans and giant harpies live in relative peace and harmony, seems miraculous. Perhaps even too far-fetched to believe.

Not everyone is content living within the safety of the city’s borders.

To some, it is not a home for humans…

…but a prison, overseen by harpies who could feast upon the city’s inhabitants if they so desired.

Fortunately, growing up beside one another has forged bonds between humans and harpies that appear unbreakable.

As fate would have it, they must accept their places in the world they share.

For some, that is far easier said than done.

...

A celebration takes place in the cobblestone streets of Torin City.

A man raises his fist, leading a cheer.

“Let’s hear it for Atreus Speros—hero of Torin!”

A young man with spiky brown hair is hoisted onto the shoulders of two supporters as a throng of citizens cheers, tossing flowers into the air.

“HOORAY! She got her licks in, but Atreus slayed the Vixen!”

As the crowd chants, Atreus pantomimes firing an arrow from his bow.

“With a mighty lightning bolt from his bow, he laid the villainous Vixen low!” 

A beautiful maiden with strawberry-blonde hair pushes through the crowd, eager to reach him.

The men lower Atreus to the ground. The girl immediately throws her arms around him.

His hazel eyes linger on her—the long hair, the large ribbon and bow tied at her back.

“Rhea—” he whispers.

She kisses him before he can finish.

Atreus leans into the kiss.

Then he freezes.

His mouth fills with straw.

He pulls back, spitting it out in disgust.

“Peh—peh!”

He stares in horror as Rhea’s head transforms into a sack stuffed with straw.

“What the—”

Atreus jolts awake in his room, lying on a floor mat.

He realizes he’s been kissing his straw-filled pillow in his sleep.

“Ugh!”

He groans, shoving the pillow aside.

Yawning, he glances out the window beside his bed, high on the top floor of his insula. The sky is still dark.

“Guess I’m waking up early today,” he sighs heavily.

He stands, stretching, and begins to prepare for the day.

Later that morning, as the sun begins to rise, Atreus sits precariously on the rooftop of his insula.

He stares at the warming colors of the sky, singing softly.

"Why do you rage and make peace with none?” asked the fox of the bird. "Has not your freedom at last been won.”

“I will indeed fly free and count it done," the bird replied, "but only after I’ve devoured the sun.”

“But you’ll take away my light and leave me in darkness,” the fox cried bitterly.

“The sun did scorch me and burn away my tears,” said the bird, “but none did pity me.”

The fox saw that the bird’s flame was as fierce as her ire.

“It is I,” continued the bird, “who was first consumed by its fire.”

"Consumed by the fire."

"Consumed by the fire."

"It is I who was consumed by the fire."

He continues singing, blissfully unaware.

Crouching below, the giant harpy Helia creeps up on the distracted boy, grinning.

“Good mornin’, Atreus!” she yells, popping up from her hiding place.

Atreus screams in surprise. “AHHH!”

He slips on the rooftop, sliding straight toward her open mouth.

He plants his feet against the bronze-skinned harpy’s lower lip, fighting to keep himself from sliding inside.

Nearby, Rhea—the strawberry-blonde girl from Atreus’s dream—jogs along the path. She slows and stops, quietly observing the scene.

Frustrated, Atreus pleads with the harpy. “Cut it out, Helia! I’ve gotta get ready for the academy.”

He scoots away from the edge of the roof and meets the gigantic predator’s eyes.

Helia winks and smiles at the six-foot-tall boy. “Almost got ya.”

“I don’t have time for this,” he says, pulling his knees close to his chest. “And if anyone else sees you eat a Torinian citizen, the queen’s going to skin you alive.”

“Don’t be such a worrywart,” she giggles. “I always spit you back up safely. Now come on—spend a few minutes with yer bestie before all that borin’ stuff.”

The harpy’s golden eyes soften as they rest on the tiny human, quieting her predatory instincts. A violet hairband sits atop her shoulder-length white hair.

“I gotta say… that song you were singin’? Made me wanna shove pine trees in my ears. Your voice is torture,” she says with a grin.

Atreus blushes, smirking despite the embarrassment he feels.

“…I’m glad you liked it,” he says to his gigantic friend. “I wrote it after a dream I had. Like a memory from long ago.”

As the meaning of the song settles in, Helia feels a pang of sympathy for him.

“The bird in your song sounded real angry. Was that you?” she asks. “Were you mad at the fox… for what happened to your mom?”

Atreus answers, his voice heavy with sadness. “I don’t know where I fit in. My mother’s the one who turned her back on her own people. Now I’m just the ‘son of a traitor.’ I can’t blame the fox for that—can I?”

Helia tries to lighten the mood.

“You’re not the son of a traitor, Atreus Speros. You’re my friend. And you’re the best friend a harpy like me could ask for. Ya got that?”

Atreus smiles.

“Yeah… I gotcha, you overgrown pigeon.”

Still watching from afar, Rhea snarls in disgust, her eyes burning with deep contempt.

“Atreus,” she breathes.

A shiver runs down the boy’s spine.

“What the heck?” he mutters. “It feels like someone’s watching me.”

The thought suddenly strikes him.

“Oh crap—I have to get ready to go!”

He carefully stands on the slanted roof of the insula.

“Our trial teams are being decided today, and I can’t miss it!”

As he turns toward the hole in the roof—covered by a loose wooden board—his footing slips.

He tumbles toward the edge.

“Oh sh—” the boy spurts.

Helia gasps.

“Don’t worry, I’ll catch ya,” the giant harpy says, opening her mouth and extending her tongue beneath him.

Atreus grimaces, staring straight down her throat.

“HELIAAAAA!!!”

(NEXT CHAPTER)

A concept sketch of Atreus and Helia.