The Saga of Zammar the Great story recap

Map of the world - Saga of Zammar the Great

For the first eighteen years of her life, Ren never left the city of Torst.

Torst wasn't any ordinary city. Built in a valley deep in The Dragon Peaks mountain range, the city was the only neutral state in the world. With gates open to people of any colour, the city differentiated itself from the four other great nations: The Whitelands, The Blacklands, The Dragon Empire and Indus.

For a thousand years of war, Torst had maintained a semblance of balance in the world, preventing the nations from annihilating each other completely, while also providing a home to refugees who fled their ravaged lands. It became a powerful state in its own regard, and slowly fell to its own corruption.

Ren loved her city, and the ideals that it stood for. But having grown up in a noble family as the daughter of Torst's military commander, she was educated highly and longed to see the world with her own eyes. Instead, she had to content with spending days exploring the city's secrets, or lounging in its beautiful gardens.

Then Zammar came. And the mysterious man brought news of the Und'kal.

An alien species from the planet Ghek'yal, the Und'kal consisted of two sub-races. The Und were humanoid in appearance, except for the rough fur that covered their bodies, and their oval heads with elongated ears. They were also intelligent. The Kal were blood thirsty and driven by savage instinct. They walked on four bladed legs, with plated armour across their bodies and deadly claws always ready to rip their prey to shreds.

An immense horde of the aliens now descended upon Torst. The city, too proud to ask for help, stood alone. Commander Ansari, Ren's father, ignored Zammar's advice, and faced the Und'kal in open battle.

Women were not allowed to fight, and instead took refugee in the vast network of cave systems underneath the city. Ren took exception to the rule, and sneaked into the barracks dressed as a boy. She stood in the reserves, and watched as Torst's army was decimated by the aliens. She saw her friend Cody killed by the hand of a Kal. Enraged, she charged at the alien, only to be knocked unconscious.

When Ren woke, she found herself safe by Zammar's side. They were on a ledge overlooking Torst as it burned in the morning sun. The city state, which had stood for a thousand years of war had been destroyed.

Following Zammar, Ren set out on a journey to warn the world of the new Und'kal threat.

They soon came upon a village and Ren met a boy named Tristan. Tristan wasn't from the village, but his parents had left him there soon after birth. Having never felt a part of the community, he found solace in nature and animals. He saw the sadness and guilt that Ren had buried herself in after Torst's fall, and helped her overcome it.

The Saga of Zammar the Great #11: Candahar pt.8

Story Recap: 

After parting ways with his fellow villagers, Tristan joined Ren and Zammar on a quest to reach The Blacklands before the Und’kal. On their journey, Ren learned that she descended from the ancient line of Torstian kings, and with the reinstatement of the monarchy, was the fallen city’s new Queen. Meanwhile, Tristan befriended an Und named Aythyl. The alien mind shared with him, allowing him to live the lives of several Und’kal. 

After crossing the ruins of Kampalla, they arrived in Candahar just before the Und’kal swarm. Ren decided that she would stay and fight with the city. Zammar and Tristan joined her, the latter promising her that he would not hesitate in killing the aliens. 

As the battle raged, the Candaharran army was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of Und’kal. After a deadly battle between Zammar and a Kal Prime, the city walls were broken. Still on their top, Ren was unable to escape the destruction. 

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She was walking through a familiar garden. Songbirds chirped happily in the trees that bordered the paved path beneath her feet, their melodies blending with the calming trickle of stream water. The wind blew gently, a refreshing breeze that rustled her hair. The sun was high in the cloudless sky, casting warming rays of light and reflecting in golden textures off of leaves and grass. 

Sitting in the shade of the tall mountain they were built into, the multitude of holy buildings that comprised the top level of Torst rose above her. Colourful mosaics decorated the windows of towering cathedrals. Tall, elegant spires protruded from their base to end in extravagant designs. Large domes capped flat roofed buildings. Golden spires stuck out from the apex of the domes, identical but longer than the ones that comprised the top of each minaret. Several temples and shrines could be made out behind the buildings at the front, their roofs more edged, but tapering along shallow curves. Everything was made of the whitest stone, so bright that it was almost blinding in the strong sunlight.   

The collection of holy buildings created a single place of sanctuary for all the world's religions. Together, they circled the biggest structure at the center of the level: The Golden Sanctuary - House of A'rah. This was where the native Torstian religion was practiced, a place she had gone many times to pray. 

The wind changed direction, wafting a familiar scent of flowers her way. She walked on, taking the first turn the path offered in that direction. 

The bright sky began to redden. She quickened her pace, instinct telling her to hurry. The new road seemed to stretch forever, disappearing into the curving horizon. A strange haze started to permeate the air, hiding the purity of the city in brown silhouettes. Her surroundings began to take on the crimson colouring of the sky; the leaves on the trees transforming to the crimson shades of autumn. Only the path ahead of her retained its greenery.  

Enormous balls of fire streaked across the red sky. Their orange contrails blazed through a curve as their trajectory guided them to the ground. She took a quick glance behind her. The garden was alight, the flames devouring grass and tree alike. In the horizon, the burning ground cracked and ripped itself apart. The chunks began to fall into a deep and endless abyss. She turned back fearfully and ran.  

Destruction followed in her wake. The green trees changed to orange as she ran by, and burned behind her before falling into nothing. She sprinted as hard as she could, her sides splitting with the effort. Ahead, the path opened into a clearing that was hidden behind a bright sun glare - the last piece of sky spared from fiery wrath. She concentrated on the aroma of flowers emanating from within as it gradually overpowered the smoke of fire. 

She stumbled into the grassy clearing awkwardly, just as the last of the path fell away behind her. 

There was a beautiful flowerbed in the circular meadow, and nothing else. The rest of the world had disappeared, lost to the abyss above which this one safe island floated.

Her breath came fast, but easily; the air here was pure. She walked towards the colourful flowerbed, her eyes fixated on the two figures that stood facing away from her.  

A tall, burly man with graying hair had his arm wrapped protectively around the waist of a slight woman that wore a shawl around her head.  

She took a cautious step forward, feeling the spongy softness of the grass beneath her feet. "Mom, dad?" She called to the two figures. 

Slowly, the two began to turn towards her, and the meadow started disappearing as they did. The edges of the clearing simply ceased to be, dissolving into small black flakes that fluttered away to join the abyss below. 

Her heart rate sped up again as she ran towards her mother and father. Their bodies began to vanish in a similar fashion, their feet slowly turning into nothing. It started to spread up their legs, leaving pillars floating in the air. 

"No! Don't go! Please!" She cried desperately. 

Finally, the figures completed their turn to look at her. Nothing remained of her mother beneath her torso, but she gazed at her daughter with beautiful green eyes. Tender love and affection brimmed out of them. 

She reached her mother a moment before the figure vanished. Her arms swung through the once occupied air. She fell to her knees, crying. 

Looking up, she met her father's gaze through glassy eyes. Only his head remained, and he looked at her with expectation, disappointment. 

"Don't..." She whispered, "please...don't leave me." But then he was gone. Everything was gone, and she was falling into the darkness, alone.  

Training - 7th June 2014

Clean and Jerk: D1RM: 205 (didn't quite make the jerk), 3x1+1 @ (185,185,185)
Paused Front Squat: 3x3 @ (200,205,205)
Bss 3x, Ab Wheel 3x

Took two attempts at 210. I think I'm just too tired, but more that I just get too nervous. Next time I'm going to try taking jumps from 190->200->210 instead of the current 185->195->205->210, and see how that works out.

Training - 3rd & 4th June 2014

3rd June 2014

Snatch: D1RM: 155, 3x2 @ (145*,145*,145*)
Clean and Jerk: 4x1+2 @ (170,170,170,170)
Front Squat: D3RM: 225, 205x5
Bss x2, Ab Wheel

4th June 2014

Snatch: 4x3 @ (135,135*, 135*, 135)
Clean + Hang Clean + Jerk: 4x1+1+1 @ (165*,165,165,165)
Snatch Pull: 3x3 w/ rebend @ (145,145,150), 2x2 w/ rebend: (155,155), w/o rebend: (165,170)
Russian Twist x3


Bleh on both days. I think I'm going too heavy on some of the back off sets. I was fine with at the beginning of the training cycle, but recently I've just been too tired.

Which is a major problem, I'm generally tired from work/commuting/lack of sleep. I'm thinking that I'm going to take Tuesday/Wednesday off next week to get 5 days of rest, and see if I can come back strong after that.

Training - 31st May & 1st June 2014

31st May 2014

Snatch + Hang Snatch: 4x1+2 @ (130*,130,130,130)
Clean: 4x3 @ (170,170,170,170)
Snatch Deadlift: 3x3 @ 155, 2x2 @ 165

Felt decent. Bit sloppy on the cleans, forgot to adjust for a new starting position I had been enjoying (lower hips), so just gotta keep that in mind. Rushed the session a bit so I could go watch X-men.

I must say, that movie was absolutely brilliant. I am a bit biased though, X-men and Superman are the only super hero things I was ever super into as a kid.

1st June 2014

Snatch: Won't even bother writing anything, was messy and bad...Got upto 150, lots of misses
Back Squat: 235x2x6, 220x3x8, 185x10 reps
BSS + Ab Wheel 3x

Really crappy day for Snatching. Actually been a pretty bad week for Snatches. I dunno, just wasn't feeling it. Couldn't lock out. I was also trying a wider pulling stance. I think I may stick to the wider pulling stance, since it does make it easier to get around the knees, but further observation is required before that decision is made.

Hopefully things pick up on Tuesday.

Training - 30th May 2014

Clean and Jerk: D1RM: 205, 185, 195*, 185
Snatch Balance: 135x3x3
Paused Front Squat: 3x3 @ (195,200,205)
Bss x3, Ab Wheel x3

Again, super tired but it turned out to be a decent session. Took a CJ attempt at 210, but I guess I wasn't fully trying and was a bit too gassed to really do it.

The Saga of Zammar the Great #10: Candahar pt.7

Story Recap:

Abasi managed to escape the destruction of Kampalla with three soldiers - Imad, Hadi and Jamil. Together they made for Kairo to warn the pharaoh of the new danger, but were waylaid and found themselves in Candahar. Upon discovering Candahar's acceptance of white people, Abasi and his friend Omir decided to recruit people to overthrow the city's leadership. Before they could do so however, they were dragged into battle as a horde of Und’kal bore down on the city.

Ren and her guide Maria found themselves on the city's walls to join boomerang throwers in ranged defense. They watched helplessly as Zammar battled a Kal Prime. He defeated the alien but was mortally injured in the process. Tristan brought Zammar’s lifeless body to relative safety in front of the city's gates. Arion, Zammar’s horse, encouraged Tristan to give Zammar a mysterious liquid. Miraculously, it somehow resulted in revival of the man’s heart beat.

After the battle of colossi, the two armies re-engaged in combat.

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Abasi's spear pierced through the side of the Kal, coming to a sickening halt as it hit a hard bone-like substance. He pulled it out with a gush of black blood. The alien shrieked in surprise at his attack, turning quickly to look down at him with four eyes. It raised a talon menacingly, revealing its teeth in an angry snarl. Anticipating the attack, Abasi leapt over the dead body next to him, landing hard on the blood stained ground on its other side. The gash on his back burned with pain induced from the impact. Ignoring this, he turned quickly and prepared to move out of the way of another swing, only to cry in pain as a sharp spasm shot through his left leg. It straightened beneath him instinctively, throwing him back to land hard against some other corpse.

"Fuck!" He cried, cursing his old age and the white man that had impaled him in the side of the leg many years ago. The Und'kal walked over to him slowly now, reveling in its hunt. "Fuck you!" Abasi yelled, brandishing his spear and thrusting it forward to stab at the beast. It bounced off the tough hide, useless with his bad leverage. His leg remained locked as the creature revealed deadly teeth in a malicious grin.

Then, just as the Kal's shadow fell across Abasi, another spear pierced its side above the previous wound. Imad ran around the shaft, jumping on the alien's torso and swinging his scimitar around to cut the hard skin at its throat. The Und'kal didn't have time to turn as blood gushed profusely out of the gash. Its shrieks of pain simply came out as muted gurgles and the twitching body crumpled to the ground.