In ages past, in a land most fair,
The Kingdom of Aulos stood proud and rare.
By the shores of the Azure Sea it lay,
Where the mountains kissed the sky's bright day.
With temples of marble, shining white,
And warriors clad in bronze, so bright.
Aulos, the jewel of the Thracian shore,
Knew peace and plenty, with wealth in store.
But fate is cruel, and the gods unkind,
As dark omens in the sky aligned.
From the depths of the earth's fiery maw,
Came beasts of legend, with burning jaw.
Dragons of old, with scales like flame,
Descended on Aulos, leaving naught but shame.
Their wings like thunder, their breath a storm,
In a single night, the city was torn.
King Thrasius, brave and stern of brow,
Led his people with an iron vow.
“To the seas!” he cried, “We shall not fall,
We'll find new lands where the dragons' call
Cannot reach our hearts, nor scorch our earth,
We'll forge anew our home, our birth.”
Six triremes strong, they took to the wave,
With sails unfurled and hearts most brave.
First was Prygias, swift as the wind,
Second Lysandre, where wisdom pinned.
Third was Thyra, with warriors bold,
Fourth Kyphos, laden with treasures of old.
Fifth was Bion, where the healers stayed,
And sixth was Thalassa, by the ocean swayed.
Onward they sailed, into the night,
With stars above as their only light.
The city they loved, now lost to flame,
Yet hope remained, like an eternal flame.
Across the Endless Ocean, they made their way,
Seeking a haven, where they might stay.
King Thrasius stood, his gaze afar,
Guided by the light of a distant star.
Thus began the tale of Aulos' flight,
Through storm and sea, and darkest night.
For though their city had met its end,
The spirit of Aulos would not bend.
And in the hearts of those who sailed,
The dream of a new homeland prevailed.
With the six ships strong, they faced their fate,
As the dragons' roar grew ever faint.
To lands unknown, they made their way,
In search of dawn, at the break of day.
Through the vast and endless ocean wide,
The ships of Aulos cut and glide.
Their prows like knives through the waters deep,
Their oarsmen strong, with resolve to keep.
But as the days turned into weeks,
The heavens darkened, the weather speaks.
The Pole Star, once their guiding light,
Was veiled by clouds, as day turned night.
The sky above was a shroud of gray,
With no sun or star to mark the way.
King Thrasius, stern and ever wise,
Knew well the danger of clouded skies.
“Hold steady,” he called, “Keep west our course,
Though the winds may blow with tempest's force.”
But as the clouds gathered, the rain did fall,
A veil of darkness enveloped all.
The winds arose with a furious might,
And the sea itself began to fight.
Waves like mountains, tall and fierce,
With the ships of Aulos they sought to pierce.
The oarsmen strained, the timbers groaned,
As the storm unleashed its wrath and moaned.
Lightning flashed, the thunder roared,
As the gods of the sea their fury poured.
Prygias led, her prow like a spear,
But even she trembled, struck by fear.
Lysandre swayed, her rudder lost,
As the storm did rage, at a terrible cost.
Thyra and Kyphos held their line,
But the waves crashed down, like hands divine.
Bion and Thalassa, the rear they kept,
Yet even their resolve was heavily swept.
Through the night they battled, through wind and spray,
Till the dawn's first light broke through the fray.
The storm had passed, its fury spent,
But the ships were scattered, their course now bent.
King Thrasius stood, his brow in frown,
For the path they'd steered was now unknown.
But then, from the crow's nest, a cry rang clear,
“Land ho!” it called, filling hearts with cheer.
To the west they gazed, and there it lay,
A sight so fair at the break of day.
An island green, with mountains tall,
A haven of peace, after the squall.
King Thrasius smiled, his heart relieved,
For in that moment, he truly believed.
“Steer for the shore!” he cried with might,
“We'll find our rest by the end of night.”
The six ships turned, their sails unfurled,
Toward the land, their hope now swirled.
The Endless Ocean they had braved,
Through storm and dark, their course now saved.
As the waves grew calm, and the sky turned blue,
The shores of the island came into view.
With hearts alight, they neared the sand,
In search of a new and promised land.
But as they drew close to that distant shore,
Their hearts, though hopeful, still held more.
For though they had found a place to rest,
The trials ahead would test their best.
For the land was wild, and the future unsure,
Yet the spirit of Aulos would endure.
With Thrasius at their helm so wise,
They steered to the shore, beneath open skies.
The ships of Aulos, now drawn to shore,
Landed on sands unknown before.
A lush, green world before them spread,
With towering trees, and skies of red.
The jungle whispered with life unseen,
With shadows thick and leaves of green.
King Thrasius, with wisdom keen,
Ordered his people to search the scene.
The warriors armed with spear and blade,
Ventured forth through the forest glade.
With cautious steps, they made their way,
Through vines that hung like webs of prey.
The air was thick, the heat intense,
And every sound made nerves grow tense.
But deeper still they pressed with care,
In search of safety, or land laid bare.
Soon they found strange signs of life,
Amid the jungle's growing strife.
Tracks like hooves upon the earth,
And distant sounds of primal mirth.
The trees bore marks, like claws had rent,
And fires long cold, where beings had spent.
“Be wary,” Thrasius warned his men,
“For danger lurks in this darkened glen.”
Then, from the shadows, a cry arose,
As the forest around them quickly closed.
Figures emerged from the dappled green,
With twisted forms, half-bestial, mean.
Goat-like men, with eyes of fire,
Their horns like spears, their hearts for hire.
In their hands, crude weapons gleamed,
As they charged with a rage, that only seemed.
The Aulosi fought with courage true,
But the creatures came in numbers too.
With bites and strikes, the battle raged,
And soon the jungle became a cage.
Though strong of heart, they were pushed back,
Toward the sands from whence they’d tracked.
King Thrasius, in fury, called,
“Retreat to the ships, lest we all fall!”
The warriors fled, with haste and fear,
As the creatures chased them ever near.
They reached the shore with breathless speed,
But not without suffering, loss, and need.
Lysandre, her rudder lost to the storm,
Could not escape, as the creatures swarmed.
She was taken, with men aboard,
Swallowed by the beasts' foul horde.
With heavy hearts, the ships withdrew,
Back to the waves, their course untrue.
But King Thrasius, though filled with dread,
Refused to turn back, nor sail ahead.
“Follow the coastline,” he then declared,
“For the open sea, we are unprepared.
There may be lands, kinder than this,
Where we can find what we have missed.”
So the five ships sailed close to the shore,
With eyes alert for threats or more.
The jungle loomed, a darkened wall,
But they sailed on, despite the pall.
With every league, their hopes did wane,
But Thrasius held firm the chain.
For though they faced the unknown fate,
The spirit of Aulos would not abate.
Thus they sailed, with the jungle near,
In search of lands that held no fear.
For Aulos' people would not relent,
Until a new home was truly meant.
The memory of Lysandre burned in their minds,
As they pressed on, leaving loss behind.
With every wave, and every breeze,
They sought a land where they could find peace.
Through days and nights, the ships sailed on,
Past shores unknown, with fear not gone.
The jungle faded, the trees grew sparse,
And soon a vast savannah spread, harsh.
The grasslands rolled like a golden sea,
With beasts that roamed, fierce and free.
From the deck, the Aulosi gazed,
At the wild expanse, and were amazed.
But not with wonder did their hearts swell,
For among the plains, new creatures dwell.
Like giant cats with eyes of gold,
Their forms were sleek, their stance bold.
These beast-men stalked with silent grace,
Their movements swift, their speed a race.
Though distant still, their gaze was clear,
And the ships of Aulos filled with fear.
King Thrasius, wise in his reign,
Saw the danger and chose refrain.
“Keep to the sea,” he told his crew,
“For these lands hold peril, cruel and true.
We seek a place where we might thrive,
Not a land where beasts do strive.”
So past the savannah, they sailed with care,
Avoiding the dangers that lurked there.
For days they journeyed, the sun their guide,
Till at last, they reached a river wide.
Its waters gleamed with a fertile grace,
And the land around seemed a welcoming place.
Green fields stretched, as far as could see,
A land of plenty, where they might be free.
With hopeful hearts, they made for shore,
Their long quest ending, they hoped for more.
But as they landed, and made their camp,
Their joy was tempered, their spirits damp.
For from the trees and hills nearby,
Came beings that made their courage die.
These creatures walked on two legs, tall,
With scales like dragons, their forms did call.
Their eyes were bright, with a serpentine gleam,
And their wings, though small, held a fearful dream.
The Aulosi trembled, their memories stirred,
For it was dragons that had brought the word.
Yet these beings came with peaceful grace,
With gifts in hand, and a kind embrace.
They spoke in tongues the Aulosi knew not,
But their gestures were clear, with no hostile plot.
King Thrasius, with heart unsure,
Met with their leader, a figure pure.
This dragon-kin, with scales of blue,
Held out a hand, a bond to renew.
King Thrasius, though wary and stern,
Knew the need for food, his people to turn.
So he offered treasures, saved from the flame,
In exchange for sustenance, to end their shame.
The dragon-kin accepted, with a nod of peace,
And trade began, their fears to cease.
But as the night fell, and the stars did rise,
King Thrasius saw with heavy eyes,
The looks of his people, filled with dread,
For the dragon-like forms still filled their head.
Though peace had been found, it was fragile and thin,
And the fear of the dragons still lived within.
He knew that to stay would invite despair,
For the Aulosi might strike, in fear’s dark snare.
So with a heavy heart, he gave the command,
To take sail once more, and leave this land.
For though it was fertile, and peace had been sought,
The memory of dragons could not be forgot.
The dragon-kin watched as the ships set sail,
Their eyes full of questions, their gestures frail.
But the Aulosi knew, in their hearts most deep,
That this was not the land where they could sleep.
The ships moved on, into the night,
Their course uncertain, their hearts tight.
For they had found no place to rest,
But their resolve remained, a driving quest.
With Thrasius at the helm, they pressed ahead,
In search of a home, where fear was dead.
The river's mouth faded from sight,
As they sailed on, into the endless night.
The ships of Aulos, with hope anew,
Sailed northward now, the stars their view.
The memory of dragons and beasts behind,
They sought a land where peace they'd find.
For days they sailed, through calm and storm,
Until at last, they saw a form.
A mighty river, broad and deep,
Its waters strong, its currents steep.
With hearts uplifted, they turned their prows,
And sailed upstream, beneath the boughs
Of ancient trees that lined the shore,
Their leaves a canopy, a verdant lore.
The river wound through hills and plains,
Past cliffs of stone, and fields of grains.
Its waters clear, its banks untamed,
A land of promise, yet unclaimed.
King Thrasius, though weak with age,
Looked upon this land, a new stage.
The soil was rough, but rich and deep,
A place where seeds could take root and keep.
No signs of life, no hostile kin,
Just open lands, where they could begin.
“This is our home,” the King declared,
“Here we'll find peace, no longer scared.”
The ships sailed on, up the winding stream,
Till they found a lake, like in a dream.
Its waters clear, its fish in plenty,
A bounty of life, for the years of twenty.
The Aulosi marveled at this sight,
Their journey’s end, a future bright.
They made landfall on the shore's embrace,
And Thrasius, with weary face,
Stepped from the ship, his foot on land,
But fate had dealt its final hand.
For as he touched the soil so dear,
His life ebbed away, his time near.
The King fell silent, his breath no more,
His journey done, his battles o'er.
The Aulosi wept, their hearts in pain,
For Thrasius was gone, like summer rain.
But his son, Eryxander, strong and true,
Took up the mantle, with a brave view.
He stood on the shore, his voice clear,
“Here in this land, we shall persevere.
Aulonika shall be our new home,
Where we can live, and no more roam.
In honor of my father, who led us here,
We’ll build a city, without fear.”
The people gathered, with hearts resolved,
To build a life, their problems solved.
The soil was tilled, the homes were raised,
And in the sun, their spirits blazed.
The city named for Aulos' past,
Aulonika, where dreams would last.
For the Aulosi, their journey done,
Had found their home, beneath the sun.
The lake, the river, the fields around,
Became their world, their sacred ground.
And though King Thrasius was laid to rest,
His legacy lived on, their quest.
Aulonika thrived, in peace and light,
A testament to courage, through darkest night.
And so the tale of Aulos ends,
With new beginnings, and hearts to mend.