31/07/2026
Entry for Guarding the Realm CB Category 2026
Guardians of the Gith – Part 2: The Warbeast Stables
The echo of hooves and chains fills the air as Thar’zel Raak enters the stables of the Githyanki stronghold. He steps into a place where strength is shaped quietly, long before any soldier stands on a battlefield. The warbeasts are restless and powerful creatures that demand respect from anyone who works near them. Their presence teaches lessons that no instructor can deliver with words.
Here, Thar’zel learns the steady routines that keep the stronghold alive. Feeding, calming, preparing, observing. None of it is glorious, yet all of it is essential. He begins to understand that discipline is built through repetition and responsibility, not only through drills or weapon practice.
Beside him works his childhood friend Vaelir, whose approach is different. Thar’zel focuses on duty and precision, while his friend finds meaning in patience and care. Their contrast grows clearer with each day they spend tending the beasts. One sees the creatures as part of the military machine. The other sees them as living beings that deserve tenderness.
In the stables, the boys take their first steps toward adulthood. The work is simple but formative, shaping how each of them will face the challenges that wait beyond the stronghold walls.
