Post by Lord Frostsword on Jun 2, 2016 2:24:43 GMT
This is all of the collected works of ToB part 2. Please enjoy
The Dragon Gods grow weary of waiting, the time is nigh. On the Final day of this week, the Holy Star will fall and the tale will once again be started. Prepare yourself for it arrival, and ready your tales... It will begin soon.
-Tal(Game Admin 1)
It begins...
The Tale will start off with something unepected...
Viril had been looking at the night sky as the camp fire had died. The wind had settled to a mild breeze, and most of the party was asleep. He had found it hard to sleep on cliffsides, and would usually just rest his body. Being a full-blooded meant that he could remain awake at all hours, and not have mental degradation like humans or dwarves. Looking out over the valley, he could barely make out the light of Frysta'Ort, a Froste Legion city known for its unique lights made from perma-ice.
Resting his head back against the rocky wall, he wondered how he had ended with his two companions, one Half-breed, and an Aasmir. Smirking he thought of the journey ahead, only when a bright blue light flashed in the sky did he look up. A falling star had ignited into an icy blue flame. Standing he looked in awe, and then slight wariness... That star was falling close to where they were camping, even though it was a cliff side. Running to the edge Viril could almost feel the heat of the star as it wooshed downward towards the foot of the mountain pass. He leaned over to see where it was going to hit when all of a sudden the air swirled around at the base... Listening close, he heard an incantation wafting through the air.
"Darastrix Ithquenti, Xurwk Wer Suaco Vaex Ghoros Ve."
A sudden gust of wind followed by a mass of air being pulled down caused Viril to stumble onto his knees. Trying desperately to hold onto the rock outcropping, his hand slipped and he was pulled off the ledge. Everything happened in a blur, he saw the ground coming fast, and drew Bolt-Bringer out. Yelling out "Darastrix Kornari di Ibafarshan" The Blade started to glow red, then white. He then plunged the blade into the mountain side, only causing it to spark and bounce off. Viril started to panic, and with one final push he managed to push the blade in causing the rock around it to melt. As he started to slow down, he reached for his belt to grab some "droshanin" (Long Grass in Elven) to which he tied around a jagged piece of metal that he had in the same pocket. Whispering at his blade, "Darastrix Kornari Ssifisv", the blade stopped glowing. The rock then cooled, and hardened around the blade. Using the opportunity he wedged the piece of metal into a crack. He then lifted his legs up onto the wall, positioning them on both sides of his sword. Taking a deep breath he tied the free end of the droshanin around his belt, and started to push off of the wall. Using all his might, he managed to pull free of the wall, and started to fall downwards. Yelling "Alaa no'a i' anar" the droshanin started to lengthen, eventually Viril made a sharp stop when his falling caught up to the growing of the elven weed.
As the droshanin kept growing downward, Viril could make out the ground. There was clusters of burning blue rock scattered everywhere. Trees had been ignited by the stars flame, causing a mixture of red and blue flames to light the darkened, smoky sky. When he had finally made it to the ground he saw what had caused the magical explosion. A woman was laying in the grass, passed out. She had most likely used a spell that was too powerful for her to control, resulting in the broken star. Walking over to her he noticed something odd. She bore no staff, nor magical source. So how did she cast a spell. He remembered hearing Draconic tongue before he fell, but only disciples of Labes and Caeruleum could do such magic source less, and such mages hadn't been seen in 200 hundred years.
He crouched by her, moving her auburn hair away from her face. He then saw her ears, they were Elven. Standing and taking a step back he wondered what an elf was doing this far out, especially one who practiced Non-Source Magic. He brought his hand up to his face, giving his chin stubble a rub.
"This doesn't make any sense."
He walked over to her again. Checking for any wounds from the star. Finally voting that she was fine other than the obvious Mana exhaustion, he lifted her up and rested her against a boulder. Looking around, he wanted to make sure that there was in fact no magical source. He came upon her bag in some tall grass, noticing that there was an abundance of "platohol ternesjs' " (Prison Stones in Draconic- Stones used to capture magical substances).
"Was she trying to capture the star fragments?" He asked himeself.
He then felt a cold chill at his back.
"Cam amin tanya man naa amin, tal edhel." Hand me that which is mine, city elf
The woman had awoken, and had her hand pointed at Viril's back. Frost was rolling off her palm. Smart He thought If she uses that, she won't damage the stones Standing slowly he turned towards her.
"Naa lle en' Elvhen?" Are you of the Elvhen? (Elvhen - the non-diluted Elven People who were said to have been born from Matrona's tears.)
She looked at him and was astounded that he spoke Elvhen (Not Elvish which was used to communicate with Humans and Dwarves). He then put his hand out, which hung out the bag in front of her. When she went to reach for it, hers eyes fluttered and she began to fall. Viril dropped down to catch her. Opting that she wasn't safe by herself there he decided she was coming with him to his destination. Before he left though, he took some stones and captured quite a bit of the star shards, hoping that they would be of some use to her. He then threw the bag over his shoulder, and then fashioned a back saddle to carry her with. Once he had her secured he started up the steps again, making sure to grab the makeshift grapple hook (the droshanin).
It had taken him a few hours to get back up to where he fell. He didn't bother stopping at the other points, as the woman wasn't too heavy. When he had finally made it up the final stair, he saw everyone looking concerned, and then they noticed the woman....
-Thomas
Traveling late at night astride his warhorse was a young man, a member of the Blue Guard. Fletcher did not like to travel at night, except with a full moon because of the many dangers that it posed to him and his steed Charger. The shadows looked like they were creeping along the lonely road, and that did not help Fletcher’s wariness to night travel, which was unchanged even after his training. He hefted his spear, reassured by its weight, and checked to see that his sword and mace were still within easy reach. He was clad in the fine chain-mail of his family’s forge; it offered him good protection while still being lightweight. His dark blue clothes hid him well in the moonlight. He shivered as the wind further chilled the night air. “Soon”, he thought. “Soon I will be an officer of the Guard and will no longer have to suffer through these night patrols”.
Suddenly the starlight seemed to change, and as he looked up, far off, he saw a shooting star streaking across the night sky. “That was not good,” he thought. “That could be a bad omen. Or even worse, magic”. There had been a few very unpleasant experiences with magic at the start of his training and he wished to avoid them. “What do you think, Charger, should we press on or stay put?” A strange practice to outsiders, the Blue Guard often consulted with their horses, and like many before him, Fletcher had learned to trust his only constant companion. Charger picked up his pace to a steady trot and they began their advance towards the fallen star.
-Kirito
Aral was dressed in black. He flitted like a shadow against the night sky, his wings fluttering, buzzing in the darkness. His eyes swept across the mountain range, taking everything in. He had darkvision, one of the advantages of being a Faerie.
He noticed something in the corner of his eye. He descended rapidly to investigate it. A group of orcs were picking their way across one of the mountains. Anger flared in him.
Why were the orcs leaving their territory?
Whatever the reason, they had to be stopped.
He flew down, landing with a crunch in the snow behind them. He winced, they must have heard him.
Sure enough, the rear orc turned.
What an ugly beast it was! A six foot slab of muscle. It had no hair, a large, sloping forehead with little horns protruding from it and the most horrible breath you've ever smelled. It reeked of raw meat and rotten fish.
It let out a deep, bellowing roar, before drawing its blade and charging. Cursing, Aral drew his blade. Taking up a defensive stance, he held his ground until the last second. The beast was nearly upon him when he flew up and dropped behind, slipping his blade between the orcs ribs without even looking.
The others had noticed the disturbance and were approaching swiftly. Aral took to the skies. His blade flashed silver in the moonlight as it slashed and stabbed at the orc squadron. Heads rolled and blood gushed from the bodies of the slain.
Then unimaginable pain pierced him.
The orcs leader, the only one left alive, had stabbed his left wing. Aral collapsed to the ground, the beast approaching him warily.
He weakly raised his sword. He parried a thrust, riposting swiftly to kill the leader.
His strength was leaving him quickly. He surveyed the area, and noticed what seemed to be a campfire. He shakingly stood, and began the long trek towards it. What he would find there, he did not know
-Thomas
they came off the road, and at the base of the cliff, they saw where the star had fallen. Fletcher could not figure out everything that had happened, but it was clear that someone had been there, waiting for the star. “What beings did this?” He pondered, “What did they hope to gain?” He let out a sigh. How he wished he had learned something about magic, but after tending to soldiers injured by magic, he had refused any more training involving magic.
As he turned his gaze upward, he saw a zigzag line running from the bottom to the top of the cliff. “There is a staircase carved into the mountain.” Curious, he and Charger quickly made their way to the bottom steps, he dismounted, and he said “Charger, follow.” He led the way up for almost three hours, but stopped right below the top of the stairs once he saw the light of a campfire.
He steeled himself, gripped his spear with both hands, and began to climb the last few steps. He knew if there were any of those who practiced dark magic by that fire, they were dead, but if not…
-Kirito
Aral was seeing spots. Pain was lancing through his body. Gritting his teeth, he pushed on, the light from the fire coming closer and closer.
Cold.
So very cold.
He reached the plateau upon which the adventurers had made their camp. He stumbled towards it, shouting for help. The party stood, weapons in hand.
Aral was pleading, tears falling from his eyes.
Then he keeled over, darkness taking him.
His body fell with a soft thump in the snow.
(N.B. For those who are wondering why a wing injury caused this much suffering, a Faeries wings are INCREDIBLY sensitive. A slight scratch is enough to nearly incapacitate a Faerie)
-Tal(GA1)
Laying the woman down, Viril walked over to his bag. He had thought that his absence would have alerted more of the party, but to his dismay most of them had been hard asleep from the journey. Alex was awake, but when he had seen that Viril was okay he went back to his bedroll.
Tying the woman's small bag onto his own pack, he noticed that even the bag was Old Elven. Smirking, he thought that it'd be a relief to talk in actual Elvhen once again. He reached into her bag and pulled out a prison stone, looking at how the stone had changed into a sort of crystal. Thinking it would be his price for helping her, he took 3 of the ten stones, and placed two in his own bag, while taking the smallest one and tying a strand of leather around it. He had always heard that stars were lucky, and figured that having one around his neck would serve as a ward of some kind. As he tucked it underneath his shirt, he heard a weak yell
"Help!"
He turned to see where it came from, and noticed a man in black falling into the snow. Running over to his side, he sensed another presence coming from the other set of stairs. Waving at the group to ready themselves, he had hoped to avoid any bloodshed until he heard a deafening roar. Looking up, he saw what he had hoped to avoid on this venture. A mass of rotting, scaly flesh flew through the sky. The Falling star had attracted the Drake, and it had spotted the party. Viril quickly pulled some Healing potion out of his belt, and turned the man in black over, pouring the fluid into the mans mouth, he had hoped that would help whatever ailed him. He lifted the man up, and placed him underneath the rocky outcropping next to the Elven woman.
Drawing his blade, he stood ready to fight.
"Damn thee gods, could this have plagued us another time?" He cursed
A fight would ensue, but would he and his party survive?
-Thomas
Stepping into the light of the campfire, he halted; whoever they were, they ready for him. He counted five but only three were conscious; he recognized that several were elves. “Blue Guard” he shouted, but a roar in the sky drowned it out. He looked up and saw a creature that turned his blood to ice.
He recognized it as a Drake, but far larger than the records had indicated, then his adrenaline and training kicked in thawing his blood. Recalling what he had learned he knew it was a terrible creature to fight, and that survivors were rare and often deformed; but if he could avoid the spiked tail and get past its dagger claws, the jaws filled with flesh-eating venom, and then slash its throat they could survive. He saw no spears among the party, and realized the task of killing the creature would fall to him. “Stay close to me and protect my flank,” he yelled to the party, and then he rushed past them to confront the creature.
-Tal(GA1)
The fight had been going on for hours, the party was getting tired. Viril had taken a few deep hits to his sword arm, and was beginning to become fatigued from moving the two unconscious people. They had made their way up the rest of the stairs in the hopes of gaining favorable ground. Taking shelter under a crumbled pillar, Viril tried to think of some way to get through the pass without taking anymore damage. A thought popped into his head, and without hesitating he ran for center of the pass, ducking under an old cart.
"Everyone, try to rush the otherside, I will distract it with a shine-stone." he yelled.
Everyone nodding, they began to run out from behind the cover they were hiding behind. Viril then threw a stone in the air, which erupted in a blinding light. The drake had been flying over the entire party when the light hit it. Falling towards the ground, it hit with a hard "thud". The tremor caused the party to stop in it's tracks. Looking down, Viril's blood turned cold. Small cracks began to appear around the drake, which then turned into deep gashes. Deep crumbling could be heard, and chunks of the road began to fall into a deep abyss. Viril started to run, but carrying the two unconscious weighed him down. Into the black abyss he fell, looking around he could see everyone else falling as well. Everything went dark.
Viril woke up on a stone floor, looking around he saw the two that he had initially been carrying, and then the man with the horse. He couldn't see Alex, or Jhalla anywhere. Viril slowly got up, wincing at the pain in his sword arm. Looking up he saw the faint light of what he assumed was the massive hole in the pass. All around him though, was something entirely different. All around the party and him was a vast plaza, made from crafted stone. Giant pillars were laid out in straight rows, holding up the rocky ceiling.
The woman started to wake up, and faintly looked over at Viril.
"W-where... Are we?" she asked
Viril still looking around with his mouth agape said,
"We are in the Sealed city of Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj, the last resting place of Gimra Duerdak.... The First Stone Crafter of Tellus."
*Our adventure has taken a twist... Now they must find their way through the dwarven city. What happened to Alex and Jhalla? What happened to the Drake? Who knows...
-Lord Frostsword(Game Admin 2)
Alex awake with a start. He felt warn out, and a bit lost. "Where am I?" he wondered aloud. He lay on a patch of un-chard stone, a visible half-circle of black chard stone in front of him. He scanned the the area and saw a person laying on his back with what looked like a deep cut across his back. Alex, rose to his feet, noting as he did at how light he felt. He turned the man over to see if he was alive, as he peered down at the man, he notice that is was not a man, but a Aasmir? Why was that important? Alex felt he was forgetting something, as if somethings was tugging at the edge of his memory. He looked at the Aasmir face again, and then a name came to his mind, Jhalla. The memories rushed back to him all at once. He remember laying on the cool rock just as night fall the previews day, and sleep had refused to come to him until late in the evening. Something had woken him up just in time to see Viril fall off the cliff and the sky painted blue. He had awake Jhalla who was sound asleep and rushed to the cliffs edge. Alex had gotten there in time to see Viril using what looked like long grass to reach the ground safely. Alex as saw the a women lay on her back near where Viril was heading. Alex had rushed to his pack and retrieved his hand Crossbow and a few bolts. He would watch Virils back while he dealt with the women.
Alex watch as Viril returned with the women. Alex had already return his Crossbow and bolts back to his pack as he saw no danger from the women, a eleven women Alex noted, as Viril enter the camp with her. Alex thought of the long road tomorrow and thought it would be best to get some rest, he could question Viril tomorrow about the blue glowing rocks he picked up. Just as Alex begin to fall asleep, he felt the same feeling he had earlier in the day where he felt something was calling out to him, clouding his thoughts. Just at that moment he heard someone cry out, and then the roar of a drake seconds later.
Alex remember the fighting, it had gone of for what felt like hours. Alex had buried bolt after bolt into the drake, and had slashed at it with his sword with his most powerful spells. However the drake pushed on swiping at them with claws and fang, swinging its massive spiked tail at them. Alex, Jhalla, a human named Fletcher(the man the cried before the drake attack) with his horse, and Viril carrying the injured elf and a Faerie, Had retreated further up the stairs in hopes of getting a a better footing on the Drake, but it seemed useless. Viril, who had taken a great many hits from the drake placed the two injured down, and then shouted at them to make a run to the other side to out flank the drake, that had taken to the skies. Viril had thrown what look like a small rock into the air. The small rock erupted in a blinding light. Just as Alex made it the the right of the drake he saw the monster land with a loud "thud". The ground begin to crack, and as alex watch, powerless to help, he saw Viril, Fletcher(with his horse, and the two injured people fall into a giant hole. The drake simple glided on its massive wings and easily clearing the hole, and landing in front of Alex and Jhalla, blocking their exit.
Jhalla and Alex looked at one another, while they did hold some distaste for the other, right now they were brothers of the same battlefield. The gave each other a quick nod with a strain smile. Then they charged the drake, swords in hand. If they hoped to save Viril and the others they had to do something about this drake. That is, if they did not die first. Alex and Jhalla fought the drake with every ounce of energy they could muster. The docked under the drake's claws, docked away from its threatening fangs, and jump out of the way of its spiked tail. Then it happened. As Jhalla moved to dodge the drake's tail, he did not see nor had the time to react to its claws as they slashed through his back. Tearing through his armor like paper. Jhalla let out a cry of pain, and fall to one knee his sword burried in the ground to keep him upright. Alex knew right away that he was to far away to get to Jhalla in time to stop the Drake next attack that was already coming straight toward his head. Just before the blow struck there was a blur of movement, and then the sound of metal grinding against the drakes claws.
As Alex looked on, he saw what looked like a elf, but with wings coming out of his back! The elf pushed the drake back with other worldly strength. He looked hatefully at the drake and said, "by Immunis your a ugly one. We will have to do something about that." The Elf raised his sword parallel to his head and charged. Alex rushed over to Jhalla and pulled him cleared to a nearby tree. Alex took a quick look over Jhalla, who had pass out from his wound on his back. Jhalla was bleed badly from his wound. Alex quickly grabbed a small dagger from him belt, he whispered into the small blade, "Sana Vi". The dagger blade begin to form green glowing runes down its length. Alex took the blade and cut slightly across the open wound on Jhalla's back. The runes faded from the dagger, and Alex saw the healing magic taking effect. The bleed stopped, and the wound begin to close. Alex turned back to the the drake and the elf with wings. The Elf was holding his own, but Alex could see that the elf was tiring quickly. Fighting a drake alone was no easy feat. Just as Alex rose to his feet and pick up his sword to aid the elf, The Drake struck out its clawed paw and knocked the Elf some 30 feet back. The elf struck the rock wall of the mountain, hard, and fall still. It was just the drake and Alex now.
Alex swallowed hard, this was it. He had no hope of holding off the drake alone He felt so frustrated, how was he going to kill this thing? He took a deep breath, and steady himself for what was to come. Suddenly, the drake latched out at Alex. Alex nimbly jumped out of the way just as the drake tails struck the ground where he had been standing moments before. Alex raised his sword and tried to place a burning enchantment on his blade. However the Drake struck first. The Drake slashed down on Alex, force Alex to caught the Darke claws with his blade just above his head. The Drake pushed down with such force that it slowly forced Alex down lower into the ground. At that moment, Alex did not feel afraid, all he felt was frustration at his own inability. Then, Alex felt a sharp intake of pain in his abdomen. He looked down to see the Drakes other claws had run him through, Alex blood begin pouring out of his body. Alex sunk to his knees when the drake removed his claws. Alex cough up blood, some spilling onto his clothing and sword. As Alex looked up he saw the drake just above him, preparing for the final thrust that would end his life. Alex thought to himself, "I don't want to die yet" Suddenly Alex Chest erupted into light. Alex looked down to see the angel pendent that his mother had given him before they left on this journey, was the source of the light. The light engulf Alex, covering him in aura of white light.
Alex felt his strength returning to him, as he stood the drake back away confused. Alex looked down and watch his wound close right before his eyes. He clenched his hands together and picked up his sword. He felt great, no better then great. He felt amazing. Then, as if on it own, his hand rest on top of his blade, and Alex spoke into the blade, "Sanctum Gelu Lamina!" Alex had no idea where the words had come from, but his blade begin to form new runes down its length. The new runes glowing a pale blue light. almost flame the surrounded the blade. Alex, sprung from his place, with speed not of his own and launched himself at the drake. He struck the drake square across its chest once, then twice, and then a third time with his blade. The drake howled in pain as a pale blue flame engulf the drake. The flame raged all around the drake, and refused to go out, no matter how the drake tried to put it out. Finally, the drake thrashing in its pain tumbled right off the cliffs edge, landing with a sicking smack at the bottom. Alex knew that the drake was dead. He mind thought of jhalla and the others, but as he turned toward the hole, he felt his legs give out from under him. just before he hit the ground he felt darkness took him.
Alex looked again at Jhalla he was breathing, and it seemed his wound had mostly healed. Alec nodded in satisfaction. He turned to where he last saw the Winged Elf, but he was no where to be seen. Deciding that was probably for the best, Alex moved toward the Cliffs edge and peered down. He saw the smoldering remains of the Drake. He wondered where that spell had come from, and could he use it again? but quickly decided he could figure that out later. First he had to get to Viril and the others. He did not know why, but he was sure they were all alive, he felt it. He moved to the hole and looked down. He could not see the bottom. He begin paced the hole and think over what could be done. The hole was far to deep for the rope he had with him, even with Jhalla supply of rope. As he paced he tripped over something on the ground. As he looked down, he saw it was what looked like a old wooden handle, maybe for a axe, or even pickaxe maybe? As Alex looked around, he saw for the first time a old ruin stone entrance way into the mountain. How did he not see that before? as he moved closed he saw one of the great stone doors laying it pieces on the ground, the other one barely hanging on but is large stone hinge. He looked above the ruin entrance way and say something written there in dwarven. It read "Kazad A Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj" or "City of Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj" Alex had a feeling the rest of his party was down there, and they where alive. He decide he would get Jhalla fixed up and best he could, and then gear up and head into the old ruin to find his friends. If Jhalla was fit, he would come along. If not then he would sit out here until Alex returned. Alex set to work
**I have been waiting so long to write this ^_^**
-Thomas
Fletcher awoke in pain. “What happened?” he thought. He could not remember the previous day at all. With his head too fuzzy to think clearly, he decided not to move until he was certain he was okay. After a time he knew could safely move, and he slowly got to his feet. He leaned on his spear and quietly observed the underground city, still unsure as to what had occurred. As his memory of the last day began to return, he remembered the fallen star, the party he had found, the Drake, and then the long battle that had ensued. He heard the elf, Viril say they were in an old dwarf city. His grasp of languages was not good enough to understand the name of the city, nor did it matter to him. He had other priorities at that moment.
He took quick inventory of himself and his gear: while no bones were broken, he had a good amount of bruises, and he was tired. His Ironwood spear was fine, and his sword and mace had managed to remain on his belt. Looking above he realized they could not leave the way they had come. With the last of the fuzziness gone from his head, he went to check on his horse, Charger.
Charger was fine, “How, old friend is this possible?” he remarked. “How is it that you are unharmed from such a fall?” He began looking over Charger’s gear, and he noticed that a small part of Charger’s armor was scorched. Upon inspection, he noticed fragments of a clear gem that was hidden in one the leather straps. There was only one explanation he decided, the Stable Master must have had a ward placed on Charger for his protection. Fletcher had heard of such gems from some of the older Guards, and realized that the fall had depleted the ward, destroying the gem.
With Charger in tow, he approached the elves. “What are we to do now?”
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex was leaning against a tree when Jhalla awake. Jhalla was laying on his back on a make shift bedding Alex had made from some tree branches and some usable clothe from a ruined bedroll he had found near the destroyed gates of Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj. Jhalla looked up at the sky and muttered, " Am i alive?" Alex answer came quickly, "Yes you are very alive, thanks to my quick thinking that is." Jhalla looked over at Alex, then moved up to a sitting position, with some pain and looked around their makeshift camp. "What happened to the drake?" Jhalla asked. Alex hesitated before he answered, he was unsure if Jhalla would believe him. "Its dead"
Jhalla eyes narrowed and said, "how? Don't tell me you killed it all by yourself?" Alex could not suppress a grin, " Well, hate to tell you but i did, its at the bottom of the cliff if you don't believe me. However to be fair, it nearly killed me first, and i only just manage to force it off the cliff before i passed out." Jhalla shook his head, "Beginners luck i guess. So then how did you manage to close the wound on my back then?" Alex smiled and walked over to Jhalla, " Combat Magic is not the only thing i can put into my blades. I place a Healing Rune along my dagger's blade and was able to heal the wound with the amplify effect. Although if i'm am being honest, i have never tried to use my healing runes on a living person before. So thank you for being my first test subject. It turned out way better then i thought it would" Jhalla draw back, "you could had killed me you stupid Half-breed!" "Yea but you did not die so, i guess your luck held out this time fake god." Alex said still smiling at Jhalla.
Jhalla seems to remember something just then and started looking around the camp again. He looked back at Alex, "where are the others? are they still alive?" Alex nodded and pointed to the hold, " it seems there luck held out as well. We are above the ancient Dwarf city of Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj. They are still alive, i can sense them. And look at that" Alex pointed to the ruin doors to the old city in the mountain side. "we have a way in." "Then lets get goi-, wait was that on your arm before?" Jhalla was pointing at something on Alex upper left arm. Alex look at his shoulder and found a rune there engraved on his skin. The Rune hum with magic. Alex look at it in awe, "when did that get there?" The rune was shaped like a cross with a spiral design running behind it. It gave off a faint blueish light, just strong enough to be seen. Alex shook his head and looked at Jhalla. "it seems alot of strange things have been happening to me lately." "what do you mean? explain." Jhalla said. "i will, i will." Alex said as he stood up, "But lets do that as we try to find the rest of the party ok?" Jhalla took a long moment to watch Alex, then nod and got to his feet, with some effort.
Alex and Jhalla set to work readying their gear to enter Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj and to find the rest of their party members.
-Kirito
Aral saw nothing but blackness, dark and inky. He could feel the coldness of stone on his back. His head was in a lot of pain.
Suddenly he felt someone shaking him. He slowly opened his eyes to see an elf (Viril) standing over him.
"Faerie, are you ok?" The elf asked.
Aral didn't reply, instead looked around. This wasn't the mountain. It was some kind of underground city.
Then he saw something that made his stomach lurch.
In an instant he was on his feet and across the room. He grabbed the neck of the woman and pinned her to the wall, with a strength that belied his small size.
"Wow wow wow, hey, what are you doing?" Viril cried out.
Aral ignored him again, instead drawing his sword and pointing the tip straight at the woman's throat.
"Why did you leave us?" He hissed.
The human grabbed him, pulling him away as he struggled. The woman dropped to the floor and Viril rushed to her side.
"What in the hells do you think you're doing?" Viril shouted at him.
"Justice." Aral replied, his voice dripping with venom.
"Justice? All I see is a Faerie trying to kill an elf."
"Justice for what her kind did to mine."
"And what would that be exactly?"
"Her race is the predecessor to mine. Whenever they needed help, we were the first they turned to, and without fail we would help. And yet when the Orcs came and we needed them, they turned their backs on us and left. There used to be millions of us, but because of them, there are now but a few hundred of us left alive."
Viril looked shocked. The woman on the floor said nothing, but instead looked at the floor.
Aral stood.
"Come on, we need to leave. It stinks of death here. I think the bloodshed was recent."
He left the room and made his way onto the street. There were the signs of combat. Orc and Dwarf bodies law scattered across the ground.
He felt something touch his wing.
He spun around quickly, to the the woman with her hand outstretched.
"Don't touch me!" Viril snapped.
"I can heal it. Your wing." She replied calmly.
"It will heal fine on its own. I don't want your help or your charity." Aral spat at her feet.
"I'm sorry. For what happened." She said, staring at the floor.
"Then you should have stayed and fought." Aral turned away and walked.
The others looked at each other, then followed.
-Tal(GA1)
Tensions were high, Viril could understand the hatred, he felt the same about humans. To him elves were his people, and he would stand by them when they needed it.
"I don't care what happened in your past Faerie, touch another hair on her head and you will have to deal with me..."
Viril stopped himself
What am I saying? I don't even know her..
He turned, and faced the Large stone doorway. Looking up he shook his head.
"We have more pressing matters at hand, this is a bad place to be."
The Man with the horse looked over with a puzzling look.
"Why is that, elf?"
Viril went rummaging through his belt and pulled out a white crystal.
"This a tomb, a nest for undead things. I've heard tale that many a Lich roam down here."
Taping the stone with his finger, it began to shine with an otherworldly light. Lifting it into the air he shone it upon the door way, and on the doorway it read 'Behl De Marr, Lyyaz Lyvv Stroll' with strange crosses on every stone lining the doorway.
"What does it say?" The Elven woman asked.
Viril frowned. Turning to the group he saddled the stone in a pouch with a hole in the face.
"It reads, Under the Mountain, False Life Walks. And those crosses keep the dead at bay, this must be the Crypt-keepers room". Viril walked forwards towards the right side of the door. Placing his hand upon the stone he could feel magic in it. He let out a big sigh and walked over to the elven woman.
"The undead won't come in here, it is a sort of haven. So who are all you?"
-Kirito
"My name is of no concern to you, elf." Aral said, contemptuously. It was clear to him whose side the elf was on.
"I disagree. If you want to stay and help us, I think we have the right to know your name."
"You may do, elf, and the same to you, human. But she does not!" He didn't even look at the woman.
"Why do you despise me so?" The woman asked.
"Oh don't act so innocent, like you know nothing. You know exactly why I hate you. You ran, like the rest of your species. You abused your power of us, and then when we needed you, you fled."
"But it isn't my fault. The council willed it."
"Some disobeyed the council. They stayed and helped us fight. You could have too."
The woman looked despairingly at Viril. Viril turned away and looked at the wall.
"Very well, Faerie. You may not wish to give your name, but you may have mine. It is Viril."
-Tal(GA1)
*Maniacal laughter. It's about to get weird.*
Viril turned his head in disdain.
The Gall of that faerie He thought.
Walking over to the doorway he glanced into the darkness. Placing his hand onto the enchanted stone.
"Name or not, we need to go this way if we are to leave... And there are frightening things down this way."
The Faerie smirked and said, "Well how is it that you know the way?"
Placing his hand upon the hilt of his sword, Viril heard the static of voices. Down the path, and to the left he heard among many of the other voices. Without answering he turned to the elvhen woman and outstretched his hand.
"I gather you have no desire to stay with someone so abrupt, so one Elvhen to another.. Will you come with me?"
She looked over at the faerie, and then back at him. Nodding her head she grabbed his hand, and he stepped towards the doorway.
"You can stay if you wish, but let me tell you this... Dwarven Tomb's are notorious for collapsing safe-rooms."
He then walked through the doorway, placing another light stone into the pouch on his vest. Drawing his sword, he called upon fire, and the blade glowed with an ember hue. He knew what lurked down in these hallways and wasn't about to be unprepared.
Walking, he looked around to see that most of the pillars and ceilings were in working order. He turned in amazement, and then happened to see the faerie with a look of utter dismay. Viril smirked, and then continued to walk. Coming upon a massive door, he noticed that there were two massive stone statues on both sides of the door. Stepping closer to them they were grossly bigger than what he had thought, even the door was bigger than that of the statues. Easily 300 feet tall, they could have made most towns seem tiny in comparison.
"How are we supposed to open this door?" The woman asked.
Looking around, Viril noticed that there was a stone turret to the far right of were they were. Pointing he started to say "Over there" before he was cut off by a deafening noise. It had sounded like the drake, but bigger, far deeper of a roar. Whatever it was, it wasn't good. Wincing in pain at the massive creatures yell, he turned to see if anything was there, but there was nothing but the black. Looking over at the rest of the party, he waved them to the door, and told them to stay put. Running to the turret, he took a massive leap, grabbing onto the ledge where the tower sat. Lifting himself up, he hurriedly climbed the stairs to the top. It was then that he say what made said noise. About 750 meters there stood an massive Bone Golem. It slowly stumbled as it's frame cracked and buckled under it's own weight. Viril quickly scanned over the room to find some kind of button or switch. It was then that he found a massive stone lever, topped with a green gem. He quickly ran over to it, and grabbed onto the bar. Placing both feet upon the wall, the lever started to pull with a deep stone grinding. Falling to the floor, Viril quickly hopped back to his feet, and wrapped some rope grass around the lever. Jumping from the top of the tower, he caused the grass to extend, and then hit the ground with a soft thud.
Looking upon the doorway, he noticed that the Statues started to crack at the joints. He noticed movement out of the corner of his eye, and swiftly jumped out of the way. The Statues were moving! and he was almost crushed by the foot. The two massive statues both stepped in front of each side the door, and began to push on it. With a massive dusty gust of wind, the door began to open. By this time, the Bone Golem had noticed the commotion, with a blood curdling scream, it began to pick up it's pace in the party's direction. Looking back at it, the group began to run for the opening. Other noises could be heard from the dark, little creatures made of various undead bits, and skeletons started making their way into the faint light. Running faster, the party knew that getting caught would mean the end.
"Even if we make it through the doors, those things will still be after us!" Exclaimed the Faerie.
The woman looked over at on of the statues, and had a thought. While she ran, she took one of the meteor stones out of her pouch. Whispering into it, it began to glow. She then extended her hand and still kept whispering. With one final motion of her fingers upon the stones surface, she started to pull a slender silver rod of of the stone. With every inch she pulled out the stone grew smaller. Finally she had what appeared to be a wand of some sort. Pointing it at one of the statues, she yelled "Alta Naur". A flash of white emitted from one of the statues arms, and a massive explosion came forth. As the party made it through the small gap, the massive stone arm fell behind them, somewhat blocking the entry point. She then turned around and pointed it at the upper part of the doorway. Yelling the same words, the flash came again followed by the explosion. Rubble began to fall upon the the entry, blocking it completely.
Viril sighed in relief, glad to have avoided that.
"We still need to keep going, there's no telling what will come after hearing that."
Viril turned to see that the woman was staggering. Running over to her, she started to collapse. He caught her before she hit the ground.
"Looks like I used.. t-to much mana.." She sputtered as she fainted.
Slinging her over his back, he placed her wand onto his belt.
Looking over at the faerie, and the man with the horse, he said "We need to go, continue on...
-Kirito
"That won't hold for long." Aral said urgently, just as the rubble shifted under the pounding of the Golems fists. "Dammit I hate it when I'm right!" He shouted in frustration.
"Then lets go! Now!" The left shouted back. They ran, sprinting down the long, twisting tunnels. They reached an intersection, just as they heard a deafening crunch, followed by the heavy sound of footsteps.
"Its here." The elvhen woman muttered. "The end of all things." They all stared down the tunnel to their left. They felt the air suck from their lungs, their very souls tugging on their bodies. In the distance they saw flame, and silhouetted by the fire was a women.
"Marfedelom" Viril murmured. "May the Gods help us."
-Tal(GA1)
*Omg yush yush yush Kirito is now my favorite contributor to this xD, and even though it was short it had enough weight (to me anyways) that it's all good.*
The party stood in awe, Viril most of all frozen in a cold sweat. The Faerie turned to both of the elves, looking upon their terror.
"Is this a joke? Marfedelom?" Turning to the wispy woman, and then back to Viril. "Why would a first knight be here?"
It was all a wash of white noise to Viril, standing there.. Staring into the abyss that was Obcasus' first knight. There were many things that he could think of that would put him into a dead stop such as this, Drakes, giants, and Mythril Living Armor... But this was an entirely different aspect of fear.. There were rumors that Marfedelom was the only Truly Immortal Knight out of all the firsts, even if she were to die.. Her lord would bring her rise indefinitely. Placing his hand upon Bolt-Bringer, he thought even if they were to run, she would surely catch them no matter the speed. They were in a tomb, a place of death, her domain. Looking over to the woman, and then to the faerie.. He thought that the best chances they had was for one of them to fight her off.
Viril felt a tug at his side, it was the woman. Pointing behind him, he could see the look of utter horror. Turning around he saw her.... Marfedelom was a mere 10 feet away. The entire party froze, as if by some spell, or just the sheer power of her aura. Viril couldn't even move his hand to unsheathe his blade. Turning his eyes to his other hand, he could see that the elven woman had grabbed onto it. He heard steps walking closer to him, as if the heel of her boots were stepping upon bones, even though there was only the hard dwarven stone. He strained to turn his head to face her.
Looking upon her, he clenched his teeth. She had an unprecedented air about her. Each breathe she took ended in a cold wisp of fog, and the flames that trailed in her wake seemed to drain the heat and light out of the surroundings. The white of her hair only matched that of her alabaster skin, which both contrasted her black armor.
As she walked closer, her eyes fell upon Viril, which in turn brought about a wry smile. Her head started to bob as it slowly turned toward the ground. A dull chuckle started to echo in the darkness. Lifting her head in elegant laughter, she started to walk around him.
"My oh my.. If it isn't the little lost woodling." She said while tracing her finger along his right pauldron.
Viril's brow started to furrow from her words.
"What ever are you doing down here... Irral Vaecaesintor Loex"
The faerie's eyes widened, he knew these words.
"What does she mean by First Elven Dead.."
Her face bore a big smile.
"Did he not say anything? My oh my Viril, you take up a party and leave out such a crucial detail."
She began to unbuckle his pauldron, and drew a jagged knife, to which she began to cut the leather jack at the back of his shoulder. Peeling back the leather and cloth below it, which was sticking to his skin unnaturally, it revealed a black brand.
"My oh my... Someone hasn't taken care of their gift." She said as she pressed her finger to the brand and pulled back as a strange black gloss covered her fingertip.
Viril looked down in frustration.
"Good sir Viril here was the first Elven Revanant to walk this world. A true marvel to behold."
The party all turned to Viril, with what he thought was either shock, or just pure confusion.
"I never asked for that role Marfedelom, all I wanted was to go peacefully to Guawysvern, but you and Obcasus ripped me from my family."
She smirked, leaning in near his face.
"Well to each his own I suppose."
Standing prostrate, she walked back to the Elvhen woman, and leaned in close to her.
"My oh my.. Who might you be? A practicer of magic, but no source? You would make quite the nice Revanant you know.."
Clasping her hand tighter, he could feel that a ring on his hand could be taken off by her. Looking at her, and then back at his ring, he tried to get her to remove it. It took a few glances back and forth, but she soon got the message. Wiggling her fingers, she attempted to pull his ring off. Slowly but surely it slipped past his knuckles, and then eventually came upon his finger tip.
The more the ring came off, the more he could hear it. The static of madness. It was a steep price to pay, but it would ensure that her aura would have to contend with another of equal value. Closing his eyes, he started to mutter to himself over and over...
.
.
Ţ̝̱͎̻́̇̿͂͑h̸̻͈̳̝̞͍̫̫̊̐̆̇͒͌́̔̊e̬͔̤̞̗̪̺͑̊̇͋͋̓̌ V̵̞̺̝̞̠̻͛͊̽̉̽̑͗͑̎o̶̯̲̻͔̲͖̝̤̫̲͊͑̇̃̉i̢̠̱̱̦͎̝̹̺͚͆̆̋͗͊̾̚̕̚ċ̴̡̙̪͕̤̮̯͔͙̠̀͂͋̈́͠e̶̢̨̧̡͙͚͍̤̦͛͛̏̔͘̚s̤͈̭̻͙͂̈́̾̄̓̏̒̄ D̴̤̥̗̻̺̊́̆̽͠ͅe̴̢̛̛̞͙̞̬̎̔͐͛͗͢͞m̶̗͉̬̮̉̽̆̊͐̄̒̅͒̕͟a̴̘̠̱̺͇̲̟̫̐͗͑̒̏͡ń̸̩̭̯̼̰̙̹́͂̏̅̕͜͜͜d̩̘͈̯̲̾̓͆̍̏̆͐̇͐ ţ̴̛̱̗͚̥̳́̊͜͡͡o̡̩̣̠̭̲̪̒̽̔̒̓͝ b̶̫̣͎͎̻̖͔̤̻̅̃̓͋͆͆̐̐͟͠ę̸̢̧̼͎̟͔̘͙̎̃̋̆̀̄̀͘͢ h̺͖̳͇̲̜̭̜̃̓̈̊̔̆ę̵̳̖̟̩̭͕̝̝̀̃̐͂͆͊̄͒̊̾ạ̴̹͚̯͖̒̀̽̾̀͟͢ͅŗ̻͎̲̰̤̔̆͗͑͂̾̒͢ḑ̸̳̘͉̙̘̜̹̀̎͋͊̕ͅ
.
.
Everyone turned to him, he was ranting the same thing over and over.
.
.
Ţ̝̱͎̻́̇̿͂͑h̸̻͈̳̝̞͍̫̫̊̐̆̇͒͌́̔̊e̬͔̤̞̗̪̺͑̊̇͋͋̓̌ V̵̞̺̝̞̠̻͛͊̽̉̽̑͗͑̎o̶̯̲̻͔̲͖̝̤̫̲͊͑̇̃̉i̢̠̱̱̦͎̝̹̺͚͆̆̋͗͊̾̚̕̚ċ̴̡̙̪͕̤̮̯͔͙̠̀͂͋̈́͠e̶̢̨̧̡͙͚͍̤̦͛͛̏̔͘̚s̤͈̭̻͙͂̈́̾̄̓̏̒̄ D̴̤̥̗̻̺̊́̆̽͠ͅe̴̢̛̛̞͙̞̬̎̔͐͛͗͢͞m̶̗͉̬̮̉̽̆̊͐̄̒̅͒̕͟a̴̘̠̱̺͇̲̟̫̐͗͑̒̏͡ń̸̩̭̯̼̰̙̹́͂̏̅̕͜͜͜d̩̘͈̯̲̾̓͆̍̏̆͐̇͐ ţ̴̛̱̗͚̥̳́̊͜͡͡o̡̩̣̠̭̲̪̒̽̔̒̓͝ b̶̫̣͎͎̻̖͔̤̻̅̃̓͋͆͆̐̐͟͠ę̸̢̧̼͎̟͔̘͙̎̃̋̆̀̄̀͘͢ h̺͖̳͇̲̜̭̜̃̓̈̊̔̆ę̵̳̖̟̩̭͕̝̝̀̃̐͂͆͊̄͒̊̾ạ̴̹͚̯͖̒̀̽̾̀͟͢ͅŗ̻͎̲̰̤̔̆͗͑͂̾̒͢ḑ̸̳̘͉̙̘̜̹̀̎͋͊̕ͅ
.
.
No one knew what was happening, but everytime he said it, everyone could move a bit easier. The Revanant walked over to his face, and lifted it with her hand. Viril had a manic smile upon his face, to which he turned and looked her right in the eyes. It was no longer Viril looking through these eyes.
.
.
A̸͈̳̣̩͚̽́́̈̎h̛̳̱̗̥̫͈̒͌̆͂͆̍̚͞͡,̭͉̱̬͖̘̒͌̓̌̌͂͞ M̛͔͙̞̠͈͔̣̹̂͑̋̎͌̍͘ą̷̟̼̳͉͕̾̈̆̎̾̉͐̒̕͡r͕̱̰̬̃̄̄̅̊̎̃̓ͅf̶̢̬̣͓̳̐͂̇̎͞ȩ̩͖̻̱̳̤͎̔̐̏̇̇͗d͕̟̯͔͕̅̀̇͑̔̀͜͞ḛ̳͈̣̩͗̈́͐̄̂̄ͅl̶̛̼̠̝̤̺͇̄̄̈́͒̂͘͘ȍ̶̯̖͙̥̩̝͔͗̀̊̓ṃ̧̡̜͎̞̤͕͇̎̇̽͋͡.̴̭̬̠̦̠̟̀̎̋͝͝.̢͙͔̼̫̦̪̩̼̎͌̅͊͌͜͞͡.̢̢̥̪̞̥̱̙̓̓̉͌̆̓͠ S̢͔̦̖̣͍̤̺͉̔̓̑̒̇͑́̓͢ţ̶̺̤͎͖̒̆̇͋͠i̢̢͇̩̳̣̣͉͑͋̅̓̚͡ͅl̮̦̥̗͓̣͛̏̒̐̕͜͝l̙̦̙͚̗̻̎̔̓̓̓̓̾̚͞ å̷̛͙͍̟͙̮̓͗̚̚ş̞̮͔̞̮̟̙͕͌̎̈́̐͞ p̶̧̟̲̤͇̬̝͆̐̎̇̾̆͘͟͜͝ą̷̙̼͔̖̒̄͒͋̏͋͠l̵̝̙̝̬̦͐͊̿̾̈́̐̈̕͜e̶̠̺̪͇̝̬͕͐̿̈́́͐͜͟ ȧ̧̧͔͉͙̞͍͑͋̃̋͘̚͘͠s̨̟̹̮̞͕͎̿̃̅̋͆̋̀̄͌͟͜ t̢̨͕̦̿̌͑͒̋̄͢͡ḩ̨̺̣̘͖̻́͗͋́͂͝͞ͅè̵̢̧̦͉̺̺̩́̀̈͊͛͐̏́ w̴̪͔̘͙̙̒̀̃̂̆̚ͅḩ̝͓̮͇̝͔͑͛̔̊̌͛͒ͅͅi͈̖̗͓̬̲͕̼͉̿͗̈̈́̂͘͡t̵͇͎̹͔͕̅̀͆́́̍̌͠e̫̖͕̲̞͎̭̟̰̳̐̓͒̓͊̽͛̀̕ ş̨̙͔̩̲̩͆̌̇̈̒n̡̨̝̦͖̳̺̻̩̬͑̀͗̄̚͝o̸̧̡͙͖͙̳̩̦͍̼̽̿͑̓̐́͛̂̈͊ẅ̸̖̻̝̭͉͙̙͚̙́͋͆̽̎͊̕͜͠͝ I̧̻̼̭̻̹̭̳͛͐͌̇͌̒̕ s̨͖̝̭͚͒̄̌̽͟͡ę̴̛̹̥͍͕͇́̄̃̽͗͌͆̚e̴͖̮̜͓̳̎̀̃͗̐̚͡.̷̼̱͍̦̺̹̩͛͑͒̄̑̏͐ͅ
.
She stepped back, Viril's voice resounded with what seemed to be two voices. She had heard the other voice before...
"What sway have you over this one... First knight of Labes.."
Viril smiled even bigger, almost ripping his cheeks doing so.
"This one has touched my blade, and heard My Lord.. If not for that damned ring, he would be my new vessel. Think of it, a mad Revanant. All of that magic power stored in a body that would never die of magic overuse. Beautiful"
Smacking Viril, she grabbed his face.
"Over my dead body would I let a loony like you into such one of the holy Revanants."
Rolling his eyes up, he chuckled "Well you are dead my dear."
She threw him back against a pillar. The whole time his laughing echoing through the halls. Standing limp, he slowly pulled out his sword. He then held it behind him, and grinned a foul smile.
B͓y̻̰͙̮̼͡ ͎̖t̝̥͕̮̜͜h̪̬̻̻̮͇͝é̫ͅ ̡̳͎̟̰̰͈̪b̳̼͎o̹̦͓̜̪͠l̴͚t̶̰̠̖̖̳͈ ̶̘o̙̬̹̩̳͎̰f̴ ҉̝̦̹͔ͅḿ̲͎̰̘̮̖y ̸̘͎̭̠b͕̦͓̠̣̼̲̀l̛̲̻ad͉͈e͚̺͓͎͎̫,͔̖͓̕ͅ ̜̜̮̜I͔͞ ̴̟͔͕̗̦ha̳̯̮v͈̠͇͚͔ͅe̤̠̣̻ ̥̼̖̤̯͖ͅb̛͎̠͚͇̳e͔̣̹̥̳͉c̫̖̜̩̦o̗̘̘̼͡m̴̦̳̗̜e̟͖̺͇̯͜ͅ ̙̥̰̘̘̀m̶̪y̶ o̡͖͓̟̲w̖̫̭̯ͅn̞͜ ̲s̪̭̗͇i̼͇n̘̯̹̞̤̣̬,̱͘ ̖̺͞Ma̞d̟̼̤̬͍͎͝n̩͙̳̖͕̙͜e͘s̩͙͘s̮̻͚̺̲͠ ̰̱̼̰h̨a̖̟͇͓s̞̮̼̻̫̙̰ ̛c͖͈͔̼̘̟̞o҉͖̳̬͕̘͉m̴͎̙̟̫͇e̺̞͇̻,̷̪ ̱͍͇̲̠̞͟A̷̳̯̯r̖̘̣r̺̯͍͍͙n̺̗̭͠a̶̩̼̪͕̩ ̤̭͉͕̼̱͍͢B̭̬̬r͏̜̻̻̳̮i̘en̻͎̪ ̩̭̳ͅb̝͚̜͓̱̬̘ri̬̖̱̰̖n̝̣͙̹̜͙g̷̘͍̥͚̗͎̼s͏͈͎̻̰̗̭ ̴̠̝̥̬t͏̲̙̣h̜y ̹̟̟̗̭̲e͉n͎̮̥d.̼̦̠̲͓͕̖
The sword hung in the air, locked by some force. Viril began to pull the hilt, popping it free of the blade. His smile turned into a pained look.
"RUN, I no longer control myself.. You must run!" He yelled with panic in his voice.
The Party stood in confusion, and watched as two First Knights were about to fight...
*So here's the dealio. Viril was intitially supposed to be a unique revanant, but when I gave him Bolt-bringer (way way back) I forgot and made lore that Bolt-Bringer was Albgast Vulpes' (Labes first knight) so I adapted it to be canonical. Think of it as my D&D Wild card that really doesn't work in my favor.*
-Kirito
*hey vulpes, can you change all of Virils speech in this to those cool symbol things? Thanks *
"You heard him, let's go." Shouted Aral, already moving for the other tunnel. The man with the horse followed instantly, grabbing the elvhens arm as he did so. She struggled for a second, looking back at a crazed Viril, cackling away as he dodged around Marfeldoms attack. Then she allowed herself to be pulled away.
"How fast can you fly, Faerie?" The man asked, looking down as they ran. Aral looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Good enough." The man swung himself and the woman into the horse in one fluid motion, before pushing the horse to go faster. Aral took a deep breath, before taking to the air, moving faster than before. Soon he'd caught up with the horse rider.
"Y'know, sooner or later, we're gonna have to deal with a crazy Viril. What do we do then?" Aral looked down.
"We fight to kill." The man looked straight ahead.
"Hey, that's the kinda thing I'm supposed to say." Aral pouted.
"You can't kill Viril yet." The elvhen women spoke, looking at her hands.
"And why not? He's not in control of himself, some other force is inhabiting his body." Aral pointed out as they shot through the tunnel.
"The gods have greater plans for him. He HAS to survive." She glared at him. "You can NOT kill him." Her eyes flared with fire.
"Fine. But we need to get rid of Labes's creation."
"Any ideas, little man?" The man asked. Aral turned and flew right into his face.
"Listen here. Firstly, I am not a 'little man'. I am a faerie. Completely different. And it would do you good to remember it. And secondly, mayhap I do have a plan. But it's dangerous."
"And what would it be? If I can ask?" The man glared at him.
"It's dangerous." The man pulled up his horse, jumping to the ground as Aral lightly touched down.
"Very well. It's inevitable that he'll attack us, and sooner rather than later. Remember that brand Marfeldom showed us? That might be what's causing this chaos. If we can just break it..."
"And how do you break a brand?"
"A sword slash through the middle might work. The brand would be split, and scar tissue would stop it reconnecting."
"How do you intend to get behind him? He'll see you for sure." He sneered.
"You forget one thing." Aral smiled.
"And what would that be?" Aral grinned.
"I can fly."
"So what do you need?" He asked.
"Distract. Keep his attention away from me. I'll get behind him and slash the brand. Hopefully that'll work." He bit his lip.
"What about me? Anything I can do?" The elvhen asked quietly. Aral glared at her, before spitting at her feet.
"You've done enough."
There was a cackling from behind them in the darkness.
"Uh-oh." The man with the horse muttered.
"Oh hello there." Viril grinned at them maniacally. "Did you really, REALLY, think you could escape me?" He laughed, before becoming dead serious. "You don't stand a chance." He pulled up his bolt thrower, taking aim.
"Go!" Aral shouted to the man, who flipped himself onto his horse and galloped towards him, cloak flowing out behind him. As he rode past, he swung with his sword. Viril met it with his thrower, rotating to face the man as he pulled the horse around for another pass. He swung again, making Viril duck whilst he grinned. Then Viril attacked, running towards the man on the horse. Sensing his opportunity, Aral leapt into the air, flying over Virils head before dropping down. As he fell he raised his sword, slashing the blade down through the brand...
-Tal(GA1)
*Luls close to the source, but far from the god. and it's Bolt Bringer (a sword) lololol*
Viril's crazed eyes shot towards the sword currently in his shoulder. The Faerie sat there using all his might to keep the blade in place, waiting for something, anything to change Viril's demeanor. Moments went by, and nothing happened. There was then a massive cackle throughout the darkness.
H̞̘̥a̞̗̮̮ ̀H͇̗̤̻̪̲̙̀a̢̼͎̠ ͚͚̖̺̮H̝͖͍͙͔̬́a̹͖̪.̵̙͔͉̙̲͈̠.̸̲͔̝͓̼͉̘.̖̤̬͉ ͖͈L̨̲̬̮̬͔̖ͅị̡ṱ̙t̬̠͎̤̫͉l̻̲̙͓e҉͚ͅ ͈͙͈̮͓̟ͅF̻͍a̠̲̭͇͉̯͙͜ḛ̸̼͈̹̮̗r̰̹̟̞͝i̭̪e͙,͎̦̘̲ ̤̯̳̙o͝h h̼͎͔͖͍̦ow̻̗̩͜ ̖̬̠̩f̘̣͔̲a̮̠̫r̯͍̩̠̪͉ ̙͎͍̯̣̪ỳơ͍̣u͇ ͍̰a͏̥̱r̼̝͉̼e͚̤ ̠͓̭̠ͅf̦̱r̴̼̥͈̝͙o̻̭͍̭m̢̪̤ ̛̗m̬e̥͕̭̻̟̹͟.͖͍͈
Viril swung his sword, shaking the faerie off. The party jumped back, only to see the skin where the brand was reform.
T̹h͉͉͞i̤s͙͔͓ͅ ̹b̭̗̳͍̦̪͝r̷a̪̙̟̦n̤̯͉̠̹ḓ͖͞ ̺̻͈͚̙̫̕ͅi͔͍̥̥̯͜s̸̼̪ ͘o͍͍͕̠̹f̹̭͇̼̜̖ ̲̝̪̜̮͜O͎b̨̪̼͔̻̗͖ć̮͔͍̮̘̩a̩̞͇͈͈s͙̱̙͢ṳ̪̬͔s̯.̥͉̻͖ͅ ͏̯̮͎̦̖͓A͏̭̤͉͙ͅͅl̸͕̟ͅļ͕̟̭̣̭ ̮͖y̩̻̳o̯̠͞u͚̝͢ w̙͉͇͓̰͙̥o̦̠ųl̘d͎̰͔̺͕̞̝͠ ͏͎̱̞ẖ̟͕̞̖̞a̜̺̠̦̖v̸̪̠̠e̦͎̣ ͈̼̙͍̻ͅa͙̩̖̫͡c̠h̝̫̗̦̳͠ḭ̵͓̦͔̺̖̘ȩ͔ve̖̻̳d̦̤̞̠̖̩ ͏̗̹i͍̦̞͔͚̻̫s̯̘ ̛͈͍th̶͖̹̫̙i͏̟͓̣͇̲̝s ͙̦E̠͟l̷̼̲̙͇̞ͅf̛̪̪̻̜ͅ'̝́s̪̥͉ ̝̥̪̳͔̝̺d͙̖̙̹e͈͕͚̮̩͕̰͠a͔t̴h̟̩͟.̛̦̪̗.̯̗̙.̴
Raising his sword up, he uttered an unknown set of words before swinging it down, causing a massive gouge in the rock before him.
K̻͚̝͎̹n͎͖̺͠o̮͖͓͈̩̱w͍͇̦̝̦ ̫̮͓͔̰y̨̤͖̦̪̼̞̖o̢u̼͓ ̙n̮̼̗͍͚o҉̜̤̬t̜̬͖̯̟͇͓ ͉͈̥͎̩͙t̳̠̖̀h̥̤͘e̞̰͕̪̗ ̧̖͙ͅl̳̘̖͇̤͍̖e͚̟̱̹͎̯͠g͙̜̰e̠͙̩n͔̞̪d̯͇̝̬̹̟s̭̖͈̞͓̕?̹̩̻̙̟͚ͅ
T̜̼̦h̯͈̰̭̬o̵̖s̝̳̤͕̰̘̪͟e̩͎̗̫͉̣ ͇̹̖w̲̟͕̬h͉̟̠̀o̷̲̦ ̹̮͙̝̲t̮o̳͓̺̲u̶̩̗ͅc̦̱̤͠h̖̯̜̗͚͖͢ ҉̱̩̼t̸̫̼̥̱̞̟ͅh̺e̮̩̣̥͎͙ ̲̱̲̹̘b̵͎͓̭̲l̛̪ạ̜̰̺̀ḍ̪́e̫̙̪͠ ̖̖̮͍̘g̣̭o҉̩͎̞̤͕̮̲ ͙̟̘̠̠̦m̖̗͖̲a͓̳͔̥̯̮̰d̪̺,͚͔͇ ͚̣̗a͇̯̬ͅn̫̩̥͕͎d͏ͅ ̧̖̱̲̜͇ͅt̥͍͓͓h̛̩͕͎̱͈e͎ ̢̟̗̳͉̜̜̼vo͚͡i͚͍̦c̠͓̮͇̖e̘͓̩͚̜s̥͔̦̻̲̩ ̥̖̳̪͡r̘̯͚e̖͕̜̲̪i̕g҉͕̰̖͈͚ͅn͉ s̸̙̭̣u͉̖̙̻͕̪͖p͇͓̦̯̻r͙̭e̙̱̩̣m͎̺͝e ó̲̼̠v̶̼̺̟̝̘͕̼e̟r͓̘̹̗͖̤ ͇̮̬͚̯͙̀t̡̩̹h̬e̞͢i͟r̮̪̣͇̹ ̢̝͎̲̲m̢͍i̮̦͇̳̻͔͡nd̡̺̜̹ ̯͈̼̰͎̪f̮̟̩̗o̰r҉̫̲̗͎̮e̪̮̩͜v͇e͏̭r̙̖͔.̴̪̟̞̞
Violent laughing came about, shaking the pillars above and below. Then as the laughter fell, Viril went limp. A small metallic clinking could be heard near where Viril went mad. The ring that had been removed started to wiggle and bounce towards him. His arm unnaturally lifted in its direction.
W̩̮̪ͅh̢̜̩a̯̻͖̝̰̤͠t́?̠̩̣͈͔̺̰ ̖͇͇̲̘̙Y͏̰ơ͎u̧̼̝̭͙̼̞ ̱̪̙̟̠̯s̶̻̤͖͖̺ti͜l̤͞ḽͅͅ ͜f̧̝̲͇͍͎̳̤i̯̮̙̗̝̘͎ǵ̳̺͉͇ͅḩ͔t̰̱ ̞͜m̷̫̹͕̞̗͔e͍͖̺̭̠̦͎?̯̙͉̟
A pained look came across his face, and in a normal voice he said.
"Your purpose was used, now you can go back"
The ring flew onto his finger, and as it slowly slid back on, the Mad voice uttered its final words...
T̨̹̦̩̥̲͕̹h̨͚̟̳i͖̠̦͇͍̝͡s̮͙̪̟̞͔̣ ̗̠͈͙̰̰i̮̘̖͉̺̝s̸̼̩͍̯͉̝̙ ͔͝ͅn͈̟̦͟o̠̘͍ͅt̘͡ ̰͉t̞͔́h̦̘̹e ͎̜͔̪̺e̤̮̰͉̼̹̻nd҉͔̯̖͚,̸̖ yo̙̠̫̮ù̯̖̫̺͙ ̤͓wi͝l̖͓͍͈̬͠l̶̼͓̹ ̭̗͚̰̗̬̝́s҉͍̩̖ą̼̫̥̫y̡ ̶̲t̪h̫̳̭̫͉e͏͔̝ ͇̭̱͔̤͚͈̕ẉ̧̜̰̩o̹͇͉r͕̬͔̕d̤͖̫͉s̵̯̼̤̼ ҉͔̰tó͚̹ ̱̦̱͘s̵̰̟͍e̞ṭ̴͓ m҉e̮̖̤͠ ̦̩̲f̫͕͘r̥͍̤̥̩͍͞e̟̻̬͝e̸̘̲̖̞̬̟̗.̙͙̩͚̪̦̕.̙̘̤͎͘ ̳̖̲T͙̩̻̣̻H͟E̘̟̤͢ ̨̣͇͎̗V̛̙͉̦̯̝O͕̰̯͚͕̼͟I̟C̝̤̟̭̹Ḙ̦̣̳̻͎̠S͙ ͙̫̬D̜̩̖̼̘̮E͖̝̬̞͠M̮͍̲͎͔ͅA̝͇͢N̡̲D̴̥̞͎ ̥̥̮̣̩̀TO̶̙͖̞̥ ̖̫̟̻̬̳B̤̪͙͖̼̗͠E͇̪̮͔̺͜ ̨̲H͚͉̪͝E̝̞̪̦̼͞ͅAR̗̣D̦̜!̧!̭̬!̗̟͇̱̣̖
When the ring finally slipped all the way back on, Viril collapsed. All Traces of the strange aura were gone. Bolt Bringers hilt lifted into the air, and reconnected with the blade, as if sheathing some invisible blade, and then fell with a solid metallic sound. Weakly, Viril grabbed the blade and used it to prop himself up, looking around he saw no trace of Marfeldom, but when he looked upon the rest of the party.. All he saw was unease about their faces.
"He's weak now, couldn't we subdue him without any trouble?" Asked the man with the horse.
Drawing the blade from his saddle, he started to walk over to Viril, but was met by the woman.
"Don't you dare touch him. That was not of his own will."
The man became angry, and spat out "And that puts you at ease?! How do we know he won't snap again?!"....
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex and Jhalla had been working their way through Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj for what seemed like forever and for once the two had not spent their time arguing against one another. It seems that, at least for the time, the two had come to a mutual agreement that both were needed if they where to find the rest of the party and survive. The last few hours had seem Alex and Jhalla moving through ruin streets fight off all manners of undead. Fallen dwarfs, humans, dog, goblins, and from time to time giant troll like creatures.
Alex and Jhalla teamwork was getting better and ironically they seemed to work well together, Jhalla swordplay was heavy with long deep slashes and thrusts. Alex on the other had was quicker with a surprising amount of bite to his sword attacks that made quick work of enemies caught between Jhalla strikes. Alex had never fought so well before, all his muscles felt cold and loaded like springs. Alex found that his reflexes had nearly doubled. As strange as it was he could feel this power running through him ever since he killed the drake. The power hummed just under the surface, ready to be called on at anytime. Alex did not really understand it yet, but he was sure the power had come from the angel pendent.
Jhalla stopped near a ruined well and said, "let rest here for a few minutes. This well is surrounded by some runes of repelling, warding, and healing." Alex nodded and took a seat on some ruin blocks and then patted the stone block in front of him. "let me have a look at that wound on your back, i may need to add another rune. Jhalla started at Alex for a second, then surprisingly agreed, He sat on the stone block in from of Alex and removed a portion of his back armor to allow Alex look at the wound he had gotten from the drake. Alex shook his head and said, " It looking better then i thought, but you have opened it back up near the top. Just give me a sec and i will reseal it. Alex pulled out his dagger and whispered, "Sana Vi" Again the blade lit up with green glowing runes down the blade. Alex quickly and carefully cut right over the reopened wound. There was a flash of green, then the runes took hold and the wound started to close.
"How does it feel?" Alex asked Jhalla. "it feels like some one running a piece of ice my back, and then my back gets itchy as hell." Jhalla said as he reached to scratch the itch on his back. Jhalla replaced his armor on his back and nodded his thanks. Then he turned to Alex and said, " your swordplay is getting better with every fight we get into, just what happen to you after the drake kicked me to sleep?" Alex shook his head with a shy grin. He had not come to terms with all of it yet. It was true he felt different from since his fight with the drake, but he felt that somehow he was still incomplete.
Alex looked up to answer Jhalla when there came the sound of a large explosion from somewhere up ahead followed by the sound of very loud crashes. Jhalla and Alex both spring to their feet. "I bet my last gold coin that was one of ours" Alex said. Jhalla nodded, and said, " Lets hurry that was not too far ahead." Both Alex and Jhalla take off after the sounds of choas
_Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Jhalla cut the small dwarf skeleton in half with one quick motion of his blade. Alex was just ahead finishing off another one, that burst into flames. Great, just great. Now the kid can make runes that blow things up thought Jhalla. Alex's combat skills and prowls had never been this good. Jhalla did not know what happen after the drake had knocked him out, but something had awoken in Alex. Something very powerful and dangerous Jhalla feared. "Jhalla look here!" Alex shouted. Alex was standing near the edge of a ruin wall that over looked a passage way below. As Jhalla peered down he could see what looked to be a large statue set set to a massive door, with one side in ruins. Crawling all over the rubble were many undead creatures.
As Jhalla followed the path with his eyes he say a blue hue of light moving away from the creatures. "look there Alex, that has to be them! The blue light moving down the passage" Jhalla pointed to it. Alex nodded and said, "I think you are right, lets hurry" Just as they turned to hurry down their own tunnel Alex grabbed Jhalla shoulder, "wait, the light stopped" Jhalla looked again and saw Alex was right. "that can't be good" said Jhalla. As they watch the now still blue light, they could hear what sounded light laughter. Mad crazed laughter.
"Lets hurry" Alex said again. They head off down then nearest tunnel. As they ran, the made quick work of any thing unlucky to get in their way." Every so often came the sound of mad laughter, and the clash of blades. As they turned a corner the came across a large opening with stairs leading down further into the city, and closer to their goal. "Looks clear, let head for the stairs" Jhalla said as he moved toward the stairs. Alex and Jhalla begin making their way down the stairs. just as the cleared the 4th landing they heard the sound of swords clashing close by. Alex and Jhalla double their pace. Just as they clear another 3 landing they stairs in front of them exploded in a shower of debris.
"Damn that Man! Trying to take over my Revanant." Said the figure that came out of the debris. As she brushed the dusted off of herself, Alex took note of her. She was tall, with elvish features. She wear a black corset armor, with a uplifted spiked collar and a battle skirt that fall just below here knees. In her hand that was not getting the dust off of here she held what looked like a butterfly knife. On her side Alex could see another one in its sheath. She turned to them, as if finally noticing they where there. As she did Alex saw outlined in black on the right breast was the sign of Obcasus. Her skins was pale, almost pure white. Here eyes were black save for the red ring of here pupils. The air itself grew darker and heavier.
"and what have we here?" the woman wonder aloud. "more little rats in my playhouse i see. And ones that have been killing off my sweet toys" she said as she looked at their blooded soaked swords. Alex and Jhalla raised their swords. "oh you sweet little fools, you think you have a chance against me?" she throw here head back in laughter. "i guess i will play with you a bit before i go and find Viril"
Alex and Jhalla glanced at each other, that means the sounds they hear earlier was Viril and her fighting. That meant that Viril and the others were close. Alex and Jhalla nodded to each other and ready themselves, they know that the viper was about to strike.
-Thomas
Thinking to himself, we can't hope to beat him if he becomes possessed again the deed must be done to keep us safe. I don't know how the women will react though, I can probably hold her off with my blade but I can't stop any magic attacks. Looking at the faces around him he saw their unease but little support for the deed. It was pretty clear he would face a powerful magic user now by himself or hope not to face a powerful possessed magic user later with some allies at his back. Fletcher's rage subsided some but not the fear that had fueled the rage nor his unease. He let out his breath and sheathed his sword, "A wise decision" the women said "Don't think of trying to hurt him again though or you will regret it."
Fletcher left the circle to check on Charger and as he inspected their equipment he realized something. I'm of out place, I'm among magic users who understand what they are facing and cant fight against it. I'm at a clear disadvantage here. Perhaps it would be in my best interest to leave as he could feel the eyes of several in the party watching him and knew he would have to make his decision soon. He also knew that as a member of the Blue Guard he couldn't leave, his duty was to fight whatever evil was involved to the end, but his fear continued to gnaw at him. A memory came back to him from when he swore his oath to the guard, The Grandmaster had to him "To forsake your duty is to forsake the order, your honor, and your life. Take now your cloak and fight evil wherever you may find it or never seek to return to these halls."
He steeled himself, "Come Charger let's see what await us now." So saying he walked back into the circle with Charge in tow ready to handle whatever fate awaited them.
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex gripped his sword with both hands then took a breath to steady himself. As he did so, he did not take his eye off of the woman in front of him and Jhalla. This woman was unnerving is all types of ways. She had not even launch an attack yet, but Alex knew that she was skilled beyond words. Alex noticed Jhalla take a step forward, his eyes too locked on the woman.
Jhalla stared at the woman that had come out of literally nowhere. Since she had shown up it has as if he could not caught his breath. The blood in his veins screams for him to run away. His body felt heavy, and his mouth felt suddenly dry. However when Jhalla glanced over at Alex, he seemed unaffected. Jhalla shook his head and took a step forward, raising his sword to strike. Look at me, losing my cool and the kid is calm as water in winter Jhalla had had enough, he was done waiting. Jhalla grabbed one of his long Aavikko dagger in his off hand and keep it hidden under his cloak.
Jhalla rushed the woman striking first with his long sword, aiming low for her feet while in the same motion, bring his dagger up, toward her neck. The woman had seen it coming, she avoided the long sword by simply jumping out of the way, leaving Jhalla dagger cutting air. The woman laugh and counter Jhalla with her Butterfly knife. She brought it up in a fast uppercut motion. Jhalla brought his dagger up just it time to caught the blade and defect it away from his own neck. The force from the attack push Jhalla back nearly 3 feet and down to one knee.
The woman did not give Jhalla time to recover. She jumped into the air, with no effort at all, bring her blade straight down, aiming for Jhalla chest. Jhalla barely manage to roll out of the way before her blade crashed into the stone block where Jhalla had just been. The stone block was little more than dust. She smiled, "Come now little Aasmir, surely you can do better than that." Jhalla look of surprise only made the woman break out into more madden laughter. "oh, did you think that I did not know of your kind?" she said with a wicked smile on her face. "well it matter not, i think our little playtime is over" she charged at Jhalla, blade aiming straight for his chest once more.
The sound of metal on metal resounded on the stones. Alex caught the attack with ease. The woman was throw back from the force of the collision. She look up to see the the elvish boy standing between her and the Aasmir. “What have we here, it seems you have some fight in you as well little elf.” she smiled, “maybe this will be more fun than i thought.” Alex reached down to help Jhalla stand, “we do this together” Jhalla nodded and grabbed Alex's hand. The moment he did, Jhalla felt as if a weight had been lifted off his chest, he could breathe normally again.
Alex and Jhalla face the woman, and without any more words the moved as one against her. Jhalla brought a fury of strikes with his sword and his dagger, with Alex quick to follow up with any opening he could find. Alex cast rune after rune into his blade. As each of him his attack connected he felt them grow stronger and stronger. The woman stagger back under the onslaught of attacks. She jumped back, doing a complete flip, before landing on the second story of a ruin building near the edge of the 9th landing of stairs. She did not seem winded at all. She have them a wicked grin, “ I must admit, you two have some skill to push me back like this. But” she reached for her second Butterfly knife and pulled it out of her sheath. “ It time for round two boy” She close her eye and began to chant, “Obcasus, Lord of Summa, Grant your servant the power to bring my enemies to their eternal Sleep” She drove here 2 knifes into her chest
The ground shook violently, then woman screamed as she was engulf in black flames. The woman stepped out of the flames, in black Full-plate armor that fitted her tightly and covered her head to toe. The armor has covered in white runes that seemed to move. Her knifes had become full swords, cover in green runes the hissed and popped. “I hope you boys are ready, i afraid i do not know the meaning of gentle” She jumped from the ledge toward Alex and Jhalla.
Jhalla and Alex jump out as the way as her two blades struck the stones where they had been. The moment the swords touched the stones, they begin hiss and melt away as if hot lava had been poured on then. When the woman stood up, the swords let little green droplets fall from there tips that hit the stones with a hiss. “Acid” Jhalla whispered aloud. Alex looked down at his blade, as he did, new words formed in his mind. He spoke them into it, “Protege Gladium Meum!” The blade formed a greenish rune that sparked with new formed power. Alex grabbed Jhalla sword and whispered into his blade the same runes he had just add to his. Jhalla’s show blade to sparked to life.
“What did you just do?” Jhalla asked, “I not 100% sure, but that should protect your blade from her acid.” Alex replied. “When did you learn to do that?” Jhalla asked. Alex smiled, “just know” Jhalla shook his head in disbelief, well lets see if it works. Alex and Jhalla gripped their swords once again and attacked the woman. The struggle was one sided. The woman easily held the Elf and Aasmir off. Jhalla was breathing heavy again, and so was Alex this time. “ the woman removed her helmet, that seems to just vanish in the thin air, and peered down at them. “What's the matter my little dears? All out of steam already? That was barely a warm up” Jhalla looked down at his sword, the runes on it was starting to fade, a few more hits and……
“Hey kid, i got a idea” Jhalla whispered to Alex.”I need you to buy me a few seconds, i am going to try something i have not done in a few years” Alex nodded and said, I will buy you a few seconds.” Alex reached over his shoulder and drew his second long sword. The woman raise her eyebrow. “Going to try to fight me one on one? Very brave little one” Alex Grinned back, “ to be honest i have never tried this before, you are the first i am trying this on.” The woman smiled wickedly.
Alex gripped his two sword in each hand and begin to pour all his remaining magical power into them, “ Protege Gladium Meum, Ignis Evanuit, Gelu Fortis!” The two swords erupted to life. “I am not done” Alex said breathing heavily, “Sanctum Gelu Lamina!” The blades took the rune that had allowed Alex to slay the drake. The blades shook with the very force of the runes.
The woman looked at the young elf in front of her, and at the runes on his swords. Even she should not take those directly. But before she had a chance to react, Alex sprung from his position and drove the first blade into her chest piece. Where did this speed come from? The woman wondered. Her armor become to feel ice cold, she looked down and saw a pale blue flame emerge from the cracks in her armor. Her rune were working at full speed to keep the flames from spreading any further. These flames carry holy energy, but how does this little one have. She looked again to the young elf, he was already moving for the second strike. Had she not been in her first knight armor she would not be able to keep up with his speed.
Alex slashed and hacked for all his worth. He could not believe he was able to channel the rune that helped him kill the drake. The woman was on the ropes, she was barely able to block his attacks. He thought to himself, I can win this! Then just as alex was about to deliver his next attack, he felt all his rune close their power, and Alex fell back on the ground exhausted from using all of his magic reserves.
The woman stood above the elvish boy, she was pissed. She was just starting to have a really challenge when the boy just stopped moving. She move her blade to just above the boy's chest, “any last words?” Alex laugh loudly and said, “I think you're forgetting something” The woman looked at the boy in confusion, then she remembered. Where was the Aasmir?
“Raven’s Embrace” Jhalla said as his blade come through the woman's chest. The woman turned her neck to look at the Aasmir is disgust. Jhalla twisted the blade, and then brought his dagger in a quick ark and removed the woman's head. The woman body hit the ground with a sickening thud. “What took you so long” Alex said grinning up at Jhalla, “sorry it has been a long time since i have had to use any of my Aavikko talents” Jhalla said as he bent to help Alex up.
However, just as Jhalla grabbed Alex, a blade exploded through his stomach. Jhalla looked back in horror to see the woman body standing upright holding the blade in Jhalla. The body removed the sword, then kicked Jhalla with enough force to throw him into a pile of rubble. Jhalla did not move after he landed in the pile. The woman's body moved to where her head was, picked it up and then placed in back in place. Then came the sounds of bones snapping and breaking.
The woman turned back to Alex and smiled evilly.”what did you think that would kill me? I am First Knight of Obcasus, Marfedelom! I was old, when men built their first cities. Do you have any idea how many i have killed? How many have tried to take my head? Now like the rest of them, i will end you as well. But i must say it has been fun. OH and don’t worry once i am done with you i am going to find the rest of your friends and end them as well” She raised both of her blades above Alex and brought them down with frightening speed.
The room exploded with Blue light as Marfedelom was thrown backwards. “What the hell?” she hissed. There in the middle of light was the elf boy. He was clad in Pale blue Full-plate armor, similar to her’s. The boy landed lightly on his feet, and looked up at Marfedelom. He put his out on either side of his and willed his blades to come to him. His blade flew into his hands, and he stood to face Marfedelom. As he turned, Marfedelom saw the symbol on the boy's right shoulder armor. She stared at the boy in disbelief, “ NO, it cannot be! This one is a child of Chalybs? There has not been a first knight of Chalybs for 2, no 3 thousands years!” Alex raise his swords and spoke, “Hiems Herba” The blade took on a dark blue color as the runes formed down the blade. Then, faster than Marfedelom could react, Alex was in front of her. With one fluid motion he brought his sword down, Cutting Marfedelom Left arm off at the shoulder. Marfedelom moved back, almost looked to teleport to the other side of the room. Black blood oozed down her armor. “You will pay for that child” she spat at Alex. But before she could move a sword flew across the room and buried itself into the wall a few inches from her face.
Marfedelom Turned to see Viril and the rest of the party standing at the end of the steps. They must of heard the fighting and followed it. She looked down at herself, she knew even she could not fight two first knights in her current state. She moved with blinding speed grabbed her severed arm and then appeared on a tall building overlooking the party. “This is not over Child of Chalybs and knight of madness! I will let you go today, but mark my words i will be back to finish this!” and with that she was gone, disappearing into the shadows.
Viril turned to the knight in full-plate armor. “Alex? Can you hear me?” The knight turned to Viril and spoke, “Vi…….ri……...l, help……….Jh….Jh…...Jhal…..la” The armor simply disappeared from Alex, who fell forward into the arms of the elvish women who rush to him when she saw he was about to fall. Viril looked over to a nearby pile and say Jhalla laying there. He walked over and looked over his wounds. They were deep but not life threatening. Viril stood up and looked at the acidic filled battle ground. It had been one hell of a fight.
*OMG, its done. Sorry it took me so long, but i hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you guys thought of it*
-Kirito
Aral looked at Fletcher. There was a pained expression on his face. Viril and the elvhen women rushed towards Alex and Jhalla, already preparing spells of healing. Fletcher turned on the wall and punched it, his frustration showing clearly on his face.
"I have a feeling the wall didn't deserve that." Aral smirked.
"Shut it Faerie." The man snarled back.
"Hey hey, calm down." Aral raised his hands in mock defence.
"Anyway, why aren't you over there helping with the healing?" He asked, glaring in fury.
"Why? Because I'm not a spell caster. I don't have the first clue about how to use magic." The mans face softened slightly.
"So I'm not the only one." He whispered.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Aral asked.
"I thought I was alone, the only non-spellcaster in the group."
"Well, you aren't." He turned to the other four. "Are you about done over there? In case you haven't realised, we're still in Obascus' territory." They all looked over with flames in their eyes.
"Whose the child?" Alex murmured. Instantly, he was pinned against the wall with a sword to his throat.
"I am no child." Aral spat in his face. Suddenly he felt feet on his chest, kicking him away and across the room. He looked up just in time to roll out of the way of the descending blade. He ducked right, scooping up his sword. He parried Alex's next attack before pushing him backwards. He ducked and weaved, looking for an opportunity to strike. Alex jabbed, so he took a step back and burst into flight, leaping into the air. Alex looked up and growled.
"There's a reason your race should have been wiped out." He roared in rage.
"Greater beings than filthy half-breeds have tried. They have failed." Aral shouted back as he descended, sweeping his blade down at Alex's undefended head. Just as he was about to strike, he felt a mystical force hold him in place. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the elvhen woman holding them both in place. He felt himself move and then drop to the ground. Everyone stared at him. He sheathed his sword and made his way back to the steps, were Fletcher stood with a slight smile on his face.
"Not bad Faerie. You nearly had him."
Aral spat on the floor.
"Bloody spell casters."
*he he he party divisions are becoming clear. I wonder where Viril and Jhalla will eventually end up *
-Tal(GA1)
*I like these, these are good. Yush yush.*
Viril was in a haze, his mind foggy. He was trying to focus on healing Jhalla, but the words for the magic were scrambled in his mind. Opting that he was no help he found a rock to sit upon. Looking around at all the people fighting, he thought that this is what Vulpes wanted, utter chaos.
Gods... What has happened
He had gone so long without anyone knowing his past, with most being either undead, or ancient. Taking a needle out of his pouch, he threaded a piece of leather on it, and began to sew his jack back together. Hearing footsteps next to him, he looked over his shoulder. There stood the woman, apparently finished healing Jhalla. She sat on the stone with him, letting out a sigh.
"My name is Ezumy by the way."
He stopped sewing, and smirked. Extended his free hand over to her, she shook it.
"My name is Viril."
Using a knife he cut the thread, and placed the needle back in the pouch. Looking back over to Ezumy, he noticed that she had a cut on her arm. Managing to organize a simple thought, he conjured up a simple healing spell and held his hand over her arm. With a glowing green light, the wound began to fizzle and close, leaving behind a light white scar.
"Sorry it isn't anything special, just a basic spell"
She smiled, and bowed her head.
"It does the trick, so thank you."
Viril started to feel his thoughts calming. Taking a deep breathe, he figured now would be opportune to figure out what to do. Standing, he walked over to Alex and Aral. Putting his hand on Alex's shoulder, he looked over at Aral.
"This isn't a time to be fighting, we need to figure out a plan of action otherwise we would deal with more of the undead."
Aral snickered. "Big talk coming from one."
Alex looked confused, "What does he mean by that Viril?"
Looking around once more, Viril made a stern face. He knew that no one would trust him if he didn't tell them, so walking over to a stone pillar he leaned against it. Crossing his arms, he began to tell them the whole story.
"I was born in 12fsc, under the great falls of Matrona*, like other elves, and in 30fsc I died in the wars between Man and the Elves. According to the Scholars and Obcasus priests... I was the first Elven Dead. So Lord Obcasus saw it fitting to make me into a Wailing Revanant.. Much like Marfedelom, the Wailing Revanant of Man. My soul was pulled out of the Great Crucible, to which is was branded with the mark of the Revanant, and I was given a great Bone**. Unfortunately I had no say in such endeavors of the Gods, so I was forced into immortality against my will instead of passing on with my family. I cursed Obcasus for this, and was made a pariah amongst my Revanat Brethren. So I walked to world for what seemed an eternity, until I came upon a hidden mountain temple. In this temple sat the imprisoned first knight Vulpes. He had been sitting there for such a time that his body was stone, and his laughter seeped from the walls themselves. This is where I found Bolt Bringer, and this ring. Unbeknownst to me, the sword causes madness in those who bear sanity, and the ring the bane of it. So as long as I wear the ring, I stay sane, but the sword stays dormant."
Everyone stood in disbelief. Aral stepping forward with a look of disdain said "Then why not use your Great Bone against her?"
Viril waved his hand in the air, bringing forth dark grey smoke. A giant Maw-like blade fell into his hand.
"Because anything cut, or slain by this doesn't die. The shackles of undeath are put upon it, and thusly under my command."
Pointing the blade at Aral, Viril gave him a serious look.
"Additionally, Great Bones do not work on other Revanants... Only the living. If you wish, I could give you an example?"
Aral stepped back, not out of fear, but out of hesitation... If what he said was true, just a cut would condemn him.
Lowering his sword, Viril made a sullen look.
"Besides, I haven't fed Mios in quite some time... it'd be best to let her sleep."
"Mios?" The Elvhen woman asked.
"It is this Great Bone's name.. The one that Obcasus whispered in my ear the day I was made undead."
Viril dropped the blade, which made it disappear into smoke.
"Listen, I understand if you wish to part ways after we leave this place, but I must warn you.. You have angered Marfedelom.. She will not let sleeping dogs be, and will hunt you. I will also warn you that the gears of fate are turning. While I was under the influence of Vulpes, I saw the future. He and one of the Revanants plan on starting a war, one that would wipe the face of Orbis clean... And while I will not raise a flag in either gods honor, I will fight them."
Looking over their faces... He knew that at least some of them wouldn't hesitate, but to say which ones was unknown to him.
"What say you?"
*Matrona bore the elves with her tears, and thusly have are ageless and are one of the most beautiful of all races.
*fsc - First Seal Creation. It's like bc or ad to us.
** Great bones are some of the bones of the first dead on Orbis, powerful weapons when forged into an Archetype (Sword, Greatsword, whip, knives, bow, etc etc) Viril's is a greatsword that can be used as a jaw and consumes blood.
-Kirito
"If it's a war that's coming, I can not guarantee that my kind will stand with you." Aral spoke sullenly. "We are low enough in number as it is, and the Orcs already march to wipe us out. We have enough problems."
"The Orcs? Are you blind, Aral?" Viril replied in amazement. "The Orcs serve Caerulem, they were his creation. That they march already is sign that war is practically upon us."
"They will not find my kind any time soon. After the last war," He stared pointedly at the Elvhen woman, "We scattered. A few squads of Faeries to guard small settlements. We can unite quickly, but first they have to find us."
"Still, it does not bode well. Time is short, we must escape this infernal place." Jhalla spoke.
"I agree." Fletcher called across the room, already saddling his horse so they could move. "We're in Obascus's territory. If he's able to resurrect Marfeldom, or any of the other Howling Revenants, we stand no chance. We must move now, or risk death."
"Or most of us anyway." Aral muttered, so only Fletcher could hear. He smirked, before turning to the group.
"I can only carry one other on this. So who's it going to be?" He asked.
"Jhalla is weakest." Alex spoke.
"I-I'm fine." Jhalla said in response.
"No you're not." Alex scolded. "Come on, let's get you up." Between Fletcher and Alex, they were able to get Jhalla into a seated position on the horse.
"Now let's go already." Aral shouted.
"Which way, Faerie?"
"Up. Always up." He replied.
"And how would you know that?" Alex glared at him in disgust.
"I once served as emissary to the Dwarves. I know how they build their cities." Aral smiled.
"Of course you did." Alex spat. "So, we're placing all our trust in this pipsqueak?" He turned to the rest of the group. Viril stared for a moment, before walking over and standing by Aral.
"You got a better idea kid?" Alex glared at them for a second.
"You take his side? He tried to kill me." Alex shouted.
"You insulted him. He warned you not to, you then attacked him. Way I see it, you're lucky to be alive." Viril smiled.
"You're fools, the lot of you. He doesn't even have magic." Alex was practically screaming. Aral and Fletcher both stared at Alex.
"What's wrong with not having magic?" Aral said quietly, wrapping a hand around the handle of his dagger.
"In a battle situation, you'd be worse than useless. Magic is the only way to win." Alex sneered.
"Oh really?" Aral pulled the dagger from its sheath, seeing Fletcher pulling his sword from its scabbard and stepping over as well. "The way I see it, cold steel is the best way to kill someone. There's just no substitute for a good blade." Alex had his sword in hand too.
"But what if the blade was imbued with magic?" Alex spoke some words in a language Aral couldn't understand. The sword glowed red in the gloom.
"Then you have no honour." Fletcher spat. "Men who lower themselves to the use of tricks to win a fight are the lowest of the low."
"I am a spell caster!" Alex shouted
"You are an arrogant trickster!" Fletcher shouted back, raising his blade right into Alex's face. Alex did the same, pointing the top right between the eyes. Aral stepped forward, placing the dagge underneath his rib cage, pointing up.
"Drop your blade." He whispered.
"Never."
"Drop. Your. Blade." Aral whispered again, pressing slightly. Viril stepped forward, pulling Alex away and gently pushing the blade down.
"Can we leave now?" Jhalla whispered with a weak voice. Alex nodded pensively.
"Fine. But if they even look at me." He indicated to Aral and Fletcher with contempt. "I will kill them both myself."
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
*Evening Boys and Girls, After some thought, i decide to make this one a bit Longer than i first thought i would make it. This is just going to be a crossover section to get the party out of the ruins. Everyone can pick what to do and where to go after that. Also to answer your question Kirito Jhalla is a man. Enjoy*
Alex put his hand against the cold stone wall. He was finding it harder and harder to keep up with the rest of the party. He had used so much magic energy fighting off Marfedelom. Then that strange power had over taken him, Marfedelom had call him what again? The Child of Chalybs? Yes that was it. I really need to ask Viril about…. “Ahh” Alex grabbed his head in pain.
In normal terms, Alex should not even be moving right now, and he would not be. Had the elvish woman, Ezumy, not made him drink that potion. She had said there would be side effects, but she did not tell him how bad they would be. Alex had attacked and insulted the fairy, Aral and the human knight Fletcher. That was very much against his character. Alex would have to properly explain everything to Aral and the others once that had all gotten out of the cave. Jhalla looked to be doing better at least. He was still asleep on the horse with Fletcher.
The party was making good progress due to the face Alex and Jhalla had manage to clear the way mostly on the way down as well as Aral leading the party upward. Viril and Ezumy were in the middle with Fletcher and Jhalla guarding them. That left Alex in the rear protecting everyone's back. Alex had done well so far with the enemies that had come to challenge him. He had switch from his sword to his hand crossbow. The crossbow was a 15 bolt Clip model that he had built himself. He also found that casting his Explosive Runes(Ignis Evanuit) into the bolt cost him less magic, save his energy for climbing all the damn stairs and did the job of wiping the undead off the map well enough.
“Up there!” Aral shouted and pointed to the top of the staircase in front of the party. “Once we clear these stairs we will be in the entrance hall, from there is is only a mild walk into the sunlight.” Aral said full of delight. “Lets us hurry then” Viril said. The party moved up the stairs quickly and as the came to the top the were rewarded with the sight of clear sunlight coming from the broken doorway. Aral smiled and rushed forward. Only to be grabbed by Viril and thrown him to the ground. Viril drew bolt-bringer and just manage to deflect an arrow that had be coming straight for Aral. “Marfedelom” Viril said, his voice full of anger.
Marfedelom stood just to the right of the door in the shadows. She Has already reattached her arm and was now holding what looked like a longbow made of bones. “Oh Darling, you made me miss my shoot. I was so hoping to have that fairy stuffed and placed above my fireplace” Marfedelom said with a wicked grin. Alex stepped forward along with Ezumy and fletcher to join Viril and Aral. “Oh i see the child of Chalybs is already up and walking. Bravo Darling” Marfedelom said as she mocking clapped at them. Alex made his way to the front of the group and shouted, “My name is Alex Nightcaster! You do well to remember it, for i will be the one who lays you to rest for good Marfedelom!” “Oh look the child has even learned my name!” Marfedelom laughed, “ I have such plans for you my dear Child of Chalybs, but i am afraid they will have to wait for another day. Father is calling me back, and he does so hate for me to be late. However before i go, i thought i leave i would give you all a gift to pay you back for last time.” Marfedelom brought her hand up and snapped her fingers together. The ground from her to the party lite up with purplish spell circles and runes. From these runes and circles came forth all manner of Undead. Marfedelom blew a kiss at Alex and then with a flick of her hand created a small portal in front of her. “Until we meet again my dear Alex” she said as she smiled evilly and step through the portal.
The undead begin to tighten their circle around the party. “So got any ideas Child of Chalybs?” Aral asked mockingly. Viril did not let Alex answer, “Aral, Alex now is not the time for you back and forth. I have a plan to get us out of here. Aral, me and you will take the lead and clear a path toward the door. The undead can not come out in the sunlight. Fletcher you follow right behind me and Aral. Alex, Ezumy follow close behind Fletcher and Jhalla. Do not let them flank us. Are we ready?” The party nodded their heads. “Good, then let's go” Viril shouted as he and Aral launched into the first of the undead blocking their path.
The fighting was fierce, but the party was cutting a steady path through the undead horde. Aral and Viril with their blades made quick work of any unlucky undead in their way. Equally Ezumy and Alex were firing enough bolts/spells into the rear to set a forest on fire. Fletcher keep a easy pace in the middle protecting Jhalla and easily handling any undead that wander too close. “Keep it up, we are almost at the door!” Viril shouted above the chaos. THe party press forward even harder. The undead trying equally to keep them in. About 10 feet from the door Viril Brought Bolt-Bringer about his head and whispered into one of the gems on the blade's hilt. He brought Bolt-Bringer tip first into the ground. The ground in front of the party erupted into flames. The undead that were caught in the flame were flung into the horde causing smaller fires to break out.
“NOW!” Viril shouted and the party moved as one through the opening moving toward the sunlight. Aral took to his wings to get to the opening first, however as he jumped into the aim a giant hand grabbed him and pulled him back into the darkness. Aral hit the ground hard, and was stunned for a moment. When he regained his wits he saw he was now more than 50 feet from the door and he was alone with a undead giant. The undead giant smiled down at Aral and brought his club up to smash Aral into paste. Aral tried to move out of the way, but when he did he say that his leg had been broken when the giant had grabbed him. Aral cursed his luck, and looked up in time to see the giant's club moving toward him. Aral closed his eye, he did not want to see what happened next.
However instead of a crushing sound, Aral heard the a loud ringing sound. When he opened his eye, he saw standing in front of him was Alex. Alex had drawn his sword and had caught the Club with both his hands on his sword. Aral could see blood running down Alex hand from where his blade had cut him. Alex looked at Aral and said, “Not all spell caster are murders or want to watch the world burn” Aral gasped in surprise. Alex normally Blue eyes were yellow. Alex pushed the club back with some effort and the rise his sword in one hand toward the giant. With one motion he brought the sword tip down toward the ground then begin to speak in words Aral could not understand. Suddenly, Alex was engulfed in Pale Blue Flame. When the flames cleared Alex was again in the Full-Plate armor of a First Knight. The Sigh of Chalybs Glowed brightly on the Right Shoulder plate. Alex raised his hand to the giant and shouted, “Giant of Eremus! I command you in the name of your maker Chalybs, break the chains of Obcasus! Clear the path so that the morning frost may once again cover the mark of my passing!” The giant seems confused for a second, then it began to shake, it eye shocks showed a pale flame burning inside. The giant spoke in its giant voice, “ Chalybs will be done, First Knight” The giant turned on the horde of undead and begin to clear the path with it club. Alex turn to Aral and placed his armored hand over Aral’s Leg. He spoke words that again Aral did not understand. When Alex lifted his hand, the bone was mended along with Aral’s other wounds. “Let us go” Alex said as he stood back up, helping Aral to raise.
Alex followed the path of death the giant was making, with Aral right behind him. The rest of the party watch from the Ruin gates and they made their way. Any undead that came too near of Alex just burst into Pale Blue flames. Alex never slowed down his pace. As the reached the sunlight, the giant followed them out and slammed the gate gates closed. Leaving Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj and all its nightmares behind.
The giant turn to the party and then bow his head toward Alex. Alex bowed his head as well, then with a wave of his hand said, “ I return you to Eremus my friend, you watch is no over” As the party looked on the undead giant smiled at them, the party saw a image of what the giant looked like before its dead. Then the giant was engulfed in Flames and burn down into mere ashes.
As the party when to the pile of ashes, they heard a loud thud. The turn to see Alex, Laying on the ground asleep, the armor seem to have disappeared once again. Viril shook his head in wonder, “Let's move over to the clear over there, The rest of our gear should be there and a spring of fresh water. We will rest here for the night and then decide things in the morning”
*NOTE: Alex can not be used for up to 24 hours, he will have to rest from using so much of his power. Same for Jhalla as he will need time to rest from his wounds*
-Kirito
Aral stared at his hands in wonderment.
How? How could magic, with all its destructive powers, be good.
A trick, surely? Some kind of trap, a lingering poison? Something untraceable?
He looked over at Alex's body. He took him in fully for the first time.
So young, at yet already so advanced at using magic.
How? Aral still couldn't understand it.
"Aral." He heard a voice. He looked around suddenly, but everyone else was busy, all finding something to do.
"Aral." The voice came again.
"Where are you? Who are you?" Aral shouted, getting to his feet. Viril looked over.
"Aral are you alright? Who are you talking to?" He asked, taking a step over.
"ARAL." The voice was louder now, more demanding.
"Can't you hear it, Viril? Someone is calling me." Aral looked at Viril, and Viril saw fire.
"Aral!" Viril called out, rushing towards him.
"ARAL!" The voice shored once again, and the party was suddenly washed with a blindingly bright white light. Viril screwed up his eyes and covered his face. When the light died down he looked again, his ears wringing.
Aral was gone, and in his place was a burning symbol, that Viril knew he'd seen before, but just couldn't quite place it.
Aral awoke to a world of white.
"Aral." The voice spoke again. It resonated around him, yet seemed to come also from within.
"Who are you? What do you want. And where the hell am I?" Aral shouted, turning.
"You know who I am. I am always with you. You are here to become better. To transcend the limits of mortals. To become, one with me."
"But... How?"
"We have much to do."
*yeah so Aral is gone for now. A note for Viril, he'll not be able to identify that symbol until Aral returns cuz plot reasons. Basically I need Aral out of the way for now because exams. I'll be doing more in a month, where he'll be returning, like it or loath it. And yes, he'll still be annoying everyone, just generally being better. Until then, have fun guys. And sorry this is so significant, I hope I haven't ruined any plans *
-Tal(GA1)
The party had been camping in the glade outside the tomb for about 2 days, resting and hunting herbs for medical reasons alike. No one had really spoken for quite sometime, and who could blame them.. There had been so much hidden and unknown information brought to light, that no one knew what to say.
Alex had become a device to some unknown power, Aral had disappeared for some hidden plot-t... I-I mean reasons unknown, and Viril's dark past had come forward in such an abrupt way that he was sure no one would truly trust him, save for the Elvhen woman who was oddly at ease with it.
Things were going to have to change though, they couldn't sit around forever, war was coming and they were the only ones that knew about it. So it was then, that they either band together in some sort of... Brotherhood, and hope that they could stop the future from coming to truth.
PLOT POINT DECISION.
Will you join the Brotherhood?
Yay, or Nay.
Please note that if you don't, you can still continue the story, but that will be where you part ways, and you will have to deal with the War allllll on your own (And no sudden OP ghost army type dealio either. You deal with it on your own sucka).
Additionally the GM will be throwing screwballs at everyone more often here, Phase 1 was more of a "Getting Everyone In" sort of dealio, now comes the D&D type stuffs.
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Viril, Alex, Jhalla, Ezumy, Fletcher, Aral Form the Brotherhood faction
-Thomas
They rode as fast as they could to the fortresses and the hours passed in silence save for the beat of Charger's hooves upon the ground. Finally they arrived at the gate. The fortress was old, it had been old when the guard had taken it from a mad king centuries ago, and it had been old even when the mad king had taken it from a now forgotten race. Built almost in a perfect circle it offered a clear view in all directions for its many archers, catapults, and large scorpion crossbows. Normally home to about 800 guardsmen it was suppose to withstand a siege of at least 8 months. So far the longest siege against the Guard there had only lasted six months.
Fletcher and Charger were quickly let in. Fletcher quickly found the stable master "Charger needs food, water, and rest. We'll be leaving within a few hours though so when I'm ready to leave he'll need to be in his half armor, have his feed restocked, and the ward stone replaced."
"Aye, that won't be a problem" replied the stable master "But what it is that has you in such a rush?"
"A war...a war between two of the most powerful beings in the world."
"I best see to Charger me self then." The stable master replied.
Fletcher quickly went to see the fortress commander since the Grandmaster was currently at a different fortress further south. He related everything that had happened to him and Charger from the Drake to the fights between the First Knights. After listening the fortress commander said "That is quite a tale, a worrisome one to be sure, but if I'm to tell this to the Grandmaster I have know it is true."
"Then take my signet ring as proof, with Immunis as my witness if I'm lying it is forfeit ." Fletcher replied
"Very well, the ring will be sent with your report to the Grandmaster."
"Thank you, sir. Now I must beg my leave."
"As you will Guard Fletcher. Good journeys to you."
Fletcher walked down to the armory, and then into the vault where the best equipment, and most dangerous weapons were stored. In a small section was all that was left of his family heritage, armor his forefathers had forged and fought in, a handful of bows that had hunted deer and lords, and there were a few artifacts as well. That this was all that remained of his family's line besides himself almost brought tears to his eyes. "Now is not the time for sentiment, nor of reliving the past" Fletcher told himself. His damaged chain mail armor was tossed onto an empty spot, and in its place, a piece of armor made of overlapping metal scales to protect his torso. A new blue cloak, plate mail armor for his arms, legs, and feet followed. His sword, mace, and spear were dropped next to the chain mail armor.
Fletcher picked up a masterwork bow, several quivers of arrows, a shield that could resist heat, and his family's prized heirloom/artifact. The enchanted diamond sword had been a gift to his family a millennia ago, but a few had ignored the inherent dangers of wielding a weapon that could cut through most metals and it had trimmed the family tree more than once. Now, for the first time in almost a century it would taste bllod again. Fletcher headed to the stables and found charger waiting there in half armor, he thanked the stable master and then he and charger left heading for prearranged meeting place as fast as they could.
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex opened his eyes slowly, his body felt heavy. He moved to a sitting position and looked around. The sun was starting its trip down, so it was late afternoon. Suddenly Ezumy appeared in front of him and said, “So finally you are awake. You have been asleep for a day and a half.” Alex looked at Ezumy as if see her for the first time, Alex had never really had the time or light to really look at her. She was rather pretty. Viril is a lucky guy Alex laughed in his head. “So what did i miss then?” Alex asked. “ you missed quite a bit” Viril said as he walked up behind Alex.
Alex turned so he could see Viril. Viril sat on a rock near by. “Let's see, we treated you and Jhalla wounds, we manage to rebuild the little camp, gather supplies from near by. Fletcher Let to check a little while ago to check in with his people. OH and Aral has disappeared in the thin air leaving only a burning rune in the ground.”
Alex nodded his head in thought. He looked over and saw Jhalla sound asleep near by. Alex begin to trying to stand up, Ezumy grabbed his Alex’s arm to steady him, “careful, you are not at 100% just yet” He nodded his thanks and gently pushed her away, “ I’m ok, really” Alex said to reassure her. “Now show me this rune” Alex said to Viril. Viril lead the way over to a small rune burning into the ground. Alex reached a head out toward it and was repelled back. “ It's a pretty strong rune” Alex said, “Viril, Ezumy give me a hand. Viril and Ezumy look at each other, then a little unsurly put one of their hands on Alex’s shoulders.
Alex closed his eye and focused his mind on the task on hand. When he opened his eyes again his eyes were glowing yellow. He places both hand in front of the run and begin to chant a short enchantment. Viril and Ezumy could feel the struggle Alex was have trying to keep all the magical power in check. After another minute alex took a deep breath and gave a final push. There was a bright flash and then the burning rune subsided just a little as new runes begin to form a circle around it. The New runes were white, and completely encircled the rune. Alex set down on a rock a breathed hard. “What did you do?” Ezumy asked. Alex looked up at her and said, “ Well at first i try to break the rune to see if i could bring Aral back. However whoever made that rune is quite power even with all of my magic energy and yours i could not do it. Then i tried to follow the magical path and see if i could find Aral. But again i was blocked. So i put an alarm spell on the rune. When someone calls on this rune or opens a portal through it, I will know.”
Ezumy nodded her head, she was impressed. Alex was certainly had a great command of magic. Alex turn to Viril. “Viril I need to talk with you” Viril looked at Alex and then sat down opposite of him. Ezumy also sat down on a rock near by “Viril, what is happening to me? I feel like i have this great river running through me, and then there is that armor. I am scared ” Alex asked. Viril took a moment to decide on what to say, then said, “It seem Chalybs has finally chosen a new First Knight, That would be your new powers and magical strength. The armor is call an Dragon Cloak, all First Knights can summon them” Alex looked up to the heavens in wonder, “ but why did he pick me?” Viril shook his head, “I do not know, Chalybs has not had a First Knight in nearly 3000 years. The last one was Jack Frostsword, he was a good friend.”
“You know the last First Knight?” Alex said in surprise. “Yes i did, he was killed by Marfedelom.” “How did she kill him?” Alex asked. Viril shook his head, “another time young one, we have more important things to do right now.” Viril stood up and drew Bolt Bringer, “I am going to train you to better control your new powers, if we don’t, you may lose control randomly. “ Alex grabbed his swords and stood up, felt the power rush through him and down his arms. “Gladly” alex said with a smile.
-Tal(GA1)
In the meantime of waiting for others to join Viril and the bunch, he had been training Alex in swordplay, and magical control. If he could though, he would leave magic teaching to Ezumy, as she was more proficient in it. They had decidedly moved the camp into one of the mountainside ruins, as it would prove to be a better base than a camp in the woods. Since they had decided to form the Brotherhood in preparation of the conflict to come, they needed to find people to join their cause, and as they happened to be out in the middle of no where.. Random people where probably not going to stumble upon them. They hadn't really explored a lot of the ruins, just enough to set up a camp in the ruins courtyard.
After Viril had gotten done with training Alex, he opted for a walk to see what kind of place the ruins were at one point. Noticing what would normally be the Regents Room (a room where the duke, or king would sit amongst his people) he pryed open the giant wooden door and squeezed through the small open space. Activating his lightstone, he looked around the room to find everything placed like it had been however long ago, but covered in a thin layer of dust. Walking down the center isle between the two long tables, he noticed a very large, very odd statue at the end of the room next to the Regent Throne. He took a step towards it, and reached his hand out only to be met with a low, grinding sound.
"I would like it if you didn't touch me." Came an wispy voice.
Viril stepped back in shock. Looking around to see where the voice was coming from.
"Not a sharp Elf, are we?" cackled the wispy voice.
Viril started to get annoyed.
"Who are you? How are you speaking like this?"
The statue started to fall apart, with faint hints of light coming from various carvings. The statue had broken and scattered all around the pedestal on which it once sat. Viril looked at the rubble with hesitation as each piece began to wobble and roll towards a massive glowing piece. Assembling themselves, they started to lift, and form a stony being.
"I've been asleep for nearly 2000 years, and the first person I met is an undead, how unpleasant."
Viril finally understood what it was.
"I can't say I've ever met a construct before, especially one still made of stone."
The stony face made what appeared to be a smile, and coughed dust out of what was supposed to be a mouth.
"Can't stand those who would be metal, takes away the pride of the Construct.. We are one of the first, so stone should be our skin."
Viril nodded, he didn't understand, but he nodded.
"What is your name?"
The Construct raised its hand to its face, as if stroking his chin.
"Can't say that I whole Heartedly remember, but I do believe I was called the Keeper of this fine castle."
Viril felt awkward, he wasn't sure how the Keeper would feel about the current status of the Ruins, but as Viril was usually the honest sort he simply waved the construct over to the door.
"You might want to see something..."
They both walked over to the massive door, the construct moving it with ease. Looking upon the rubble, the keeper simply stayed silent for what seemed an hour.
"But... It was only 2000 years... Stone should keep that long..."
Shaking his stony head, he let out a huge sigh.
"And I take it this castle has no lord anymore..."
Viril placed his hand upon the back of the keeper, patting it.
"Well, My friends and I are in need of a castle.."
The Keeper looked over at Viril, with what seemed to be a face of "Well I guess". Walking down to the courtyard, Viril gave introductions. Alex seemed wary at first, and Ezumy almost getting carried away at the sight of something made from magic. Viril went on to tell the Keeper of his visions and why they needed the Castle for the Brotherhood. At first the Keeper was content with just letting them have it, but as the tale went on he opted to help them.
"My sole duty was to keep this place in one piece so-to-speak, so if the Brotherhood is in need, I will help."
The party cheered, this was monumental. Viril grinned, this was their first step, and the Brotherhood would soon be ready to take in people. Ezumy walked over to Viril, and showed him a strip of leather. On it showed a hand gripping a Dragon Skull with rays shinning around it.
"This should be our banner Viril."
Viril looked it over, and frankly in his mind, it was pretty cool looking. He thought it over, showing it to Alex which he responded with a thumbs up. They then all nodded.
Days later, The Keeper had started on fixing the battlements, and the Main Flag Pole on the Main Castle Turret. The party took shifts, clearing out rooms of rubble and dust, and when all was said and done they found that the Castle had many rooms. There was an armory, a tunnel which lead to a strange underground river (that was wide enough to hold a dock), an infirmary, and an area that acted as a Domicile. There was also a forge, a quite large one at that. Viril took considerable notice in one room in particular, and that was an enchanters room. This one had stayed in decent condition too, with it being almost fully stocked.
Once they had cleared out the Regent Room, they decided that they would turn it into a council hall, and even went so far as to chop trees out in the woods to make a large table. They all sat in the room, and looked at each other from across the table that they sat upon.
"This is really coming together, isn't it?" Alex asked as he smiled.
Viril nodded, and then looked sternly at the others.
"The Castle is coming together quite nicely, but without people to inhabit it, it won't be of much use. First thing is first, we need to meet up with Fletcher, and hopefully recruit some people into our ranks. I've had an idea since I've found that enchanters room... Ezumy and I will take some Fallen star fragments, and make something useful to the higher ranked Brotherhood members. I will start to craft these items, and afterwards we will leave for the Town."
Alex and the Keeper looked confused as to why Viril wouldn't divulge what the items were.
"O-ok?" Alex responded.
Viril and Ezumy stood, and walked towards the Enchanters Room, and for the next few days all Alex could hear were the sounds of metal smashing against metal, and strange chanting. By the fourth day, they finally came out while holding a chest. They placed said chest on the large table and opened it. Inside were strange trinkets and one large Spire shaped stone.
"These will be our way around Cloudai from now on."
Alex looked confused.
Viril pointed at the small trinkets, "These are Ferry Tools."
And then he pointed at the large Spire shaped stone, "This a Ferry Point"
Viril then sat down.
"What Viril lacks to mention is that these in conjuction with a phrase and location will teleport you to said location. Like say that we had a Ferry point at base, but we where in an Froste Legion town... We could teleport to base from far away."
Alex then got excited.
"Which one is mine??"
Viril took the Dragon shaped ring out of the chest, and placed it into his hand.
"Wait here."
Viril took the Large Ferry Stone out of the chest and walked into one of the empty rooms. About an hour went by when he returned.
"Now put the ring on and say 'By the Brotherhoods wings, I'll be in Okarthel' "
Alex excitedly did so. As soon as he repeated what Viril said, white flames emanated from the ring and when he went to blink, he was in an empty room. Looking around, he saw the Ferry stone next to him. Looking forward he saw Viril and Ezumy walking up.
"This will be a sort of port room, if you need to travel you come into here, but as soon as we have points in other cities and what not."
Viril went about setting up a door that only opened to Ferry Tool wearers, and set up mystic mirrors in the empty room to eventually show the area around future Ferry point locations. He then walked back to the Council room to find Ezumy trying to put on her Ferry tool (a necklace) which Viril stepped over to her to help. Once she put it on, she looked down to see a necklace that had been made to look like a falling star, which she thought was humorous due to their meeting. Viril then went to equip his, which was just a plain Sword ring, waving his hand downward, Mios appeared in his hand. He then fit the gem onto it, and dropped the sword. Once the sword had disappeared, he took the chest and put it back into the Port room.
He walked back out, and towards the massive door.
"Here's the plan, The Keeper will stay here and continue to fix things up, I would also like for you to make some Golemns for the entrance as so no one can take the castle from us."
The Keeper nodded.
"We will then find a building in the town where Fletcher is meeting us, and hopefully purchase it to place our Ferry point. Once that is done, we will port back with more people, hopefully."
Ezumy suddenly ran through the massive doorway.
"Wait! Put these on!"
She then handed everyone strips of leather with the Brotherhood symbol on them.
"Now we can say that we are The Brotherhood!"
Everyone smiled and put it on wherever they wanted. Viril placed his upon his upper arm, Alex upon his wrist, The Keeper wrapped it around neck, and Ezumy had hers on the upper arm opposite of Viril.
It was then that they set out for town, and to give Fletcher his Tool and band.
(Yup, that was longer and more full of stuff than I initially wanted xD)
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex ducked under yet another branch that had come into his way. “Are you sure this is the right path to Knight Watch Viril?” Alex ask. The path, if it could be call that, was very overgrown,and was get harder to navigate every hour. “Yes i am sure Alex, not one has used this path for more than 500 years, as we get closer it will clear up.” Viril answer, a bit annoyed. Alex signed and duck over another branch pushing his way forward. There party was very small at the moment. It consist of Virl, Alex and Ezumy. Jhalla has been left at Okarthel' In the care of Keeper, who Alex had taken to calling “Arda”. Arda does not seem to mind being called. Jhalla still injured from taking a sword belly was not well enough to travel just yet. Alex mind when back to Okarthel. So much had happened since they begin bring the old castle back.
The first day or two they had taken to clearing out as much of the old debris as they could. Then moving all their things into their rooms. However after all that Alex had fallen into a sort of pattern. At dawn him and Viril would meet in the “Training Room” which was simply a fenced off overhang that looked over the valley below. Each morning Viril pushed Alex hard, drilling him in spell retentions, Sword control, and more importantly channeling Alex’s massive magical power into his Angel Pendant. To Alex surprise the Angel Pendant was made to store and maintain magical overflow. Most Spellswords have no need for one, as rarely do they have large magic reserves. It seems Alex father was one such spellsword. His Mother must have know and that was why she gave it to Alex before he left
After training, Alex would caught a quick breakfast normally with Ezumy and Viril. Then go visit Jhalla in the infirmary. Jhalla was getting his strength back slowly. His wounds came from a magical Sword infused with acid. Even with magical healing runes and spell, the healing was slow. But he was healing.
After Visiting Jhalla, Alex like to take a trip down to “Aral Circle” as he came to call it. He would check on the magical rune he placed on the circle, and then he would check the magic seals he had place on the entrance of Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tron. One day, Alex thought he would return and clear the place out, but for not the seals would keep anyone else from meeting their deaths inside. Alex had also taken the time to seal the hole that Viril and the other had fallen into.
After his was done checking, it was normal about midday. Alex would return to the castle and head for his room for the rest of the day. Which was where Alex spent most of his time. Alex’s room was located in the southeast corner of the castle in a large drum tower with views of the river and forest far below. Alex room was at the top of the tower. Below it was what was left of a grand library the castle once had. The room had been in ruins, as it looked a great fire had raged inside at one point. This of course lead to many of the books to be little more than ash. However some had survived, and Alex took a great delight in reading, translating, and repairing the savable ones.
Alex had even a book listing all the Great First Knight of Cloudai from over 1000 of years ago. However the book had been a challenge to translate, and he was not done with it yet. So far he know very little of the original First Knight of Chalybs, Jake Frostsword. Alex knew he was a great hero, and that he had been very powerful, more powerful than most First Knights of the era. He know Frostsword had lead his knighthood in the Great War of Stardom. Lastly Alex knew he was somehow killed by Marfedelom.
Viril has refuse to share anymore with Alex, every time Alex asked Viril told him he would tell him in time, but for not to focus on training and controlling his First Knight powers. Alex knew Viril would tell him one day, but Alex found it hard to wait. He feared that Marfedelom knew a weakness about the Alex new found powers, and could use them against him. He would just have to wait, but it was killing.
During one of Alex’s afternoon, as he was repairing a book, Ezumy had show up to help him with a difficult translation. They had gotten along rather well, and had starting talking about Alex past. Ezumy had listen and asked questions that made Alex think. The conversation had moved to Alex’s training and how he was have a hard time controlling all his magic.
Ezumy had smiled and told Alex she had an idea. She when to his work station a pull out a Blank book. She handle the book to Alex and told him to repeat after her and then channel his magic into the book. She spoke the works, and Alex did as he was told. As he did the book glow briefly and then he saw on the cover the symbol of Chalybs appear.
Ezumy explained that Alex could use the book to store his runes, as some wizards do. All Alex would need to do is chant the words to the pages of the book, and transfer the need magical into them. She said in time, Alex would be able to lift the runes out of the book at anytime and then use them to enchant anything he was touching, even allied weapons. The Beginning Spell had been to bind the book to Alex so he could summon it from anywhere. ALex nodded his thanks and begin to set to work making any such books and pouring his unused energy into them with many runes. ALex had one such book with him now…….
“Hey Pay attention!” Viril shouted as he grabbed Alex by the shoulder. Alex had been so busy thinking he had almost walked right off a small cliff face. “My bad viril, i was lost in thought” Alex said. Ezumy laughed, and shook her head. “Let go, there is Knight Watch” Viril said point to the large stone city of Humans. It was no more than 3 miles up the road. “Indeed let's go” Alex said as they started on the path once more
-Tal(GA1)
The party had finally made it to their destination. Walking through the gate they noticed that there were guards at various points of the walls that surrounded the town. Viril was never a fan of Knight watch, as it was mainly inhabited by men and most were less than welcoming to elves. They walked into one of the taverns that sat next to the front gate, and managed to secure information on any vacant buildings for sale. Hearing that an old mill had been abandoned after a wheat beetle infestation, the party all decided that it would be a good front for their ferry point. Viril decided that they needed to find the owner, and to do so they would need money when said owner was found. Reaching into his void pouch, Viril pulled out 6 platinum plates, and handed two to each person.
"When you find the owner, be sure to offer one of these... If he is unsure offer the other as well."
Alex had a look of surprise, that was quite a bit of money. One platinum bar was usually worth about two thousand gold coins, and gold coins were pricey as it was. But when he thought about it, Viril had been walking the world for quite some time, so having that much wouldn't be odd.
It took most of the day to find the mill's owner, but they eventually all met up at the tavern to find him drinking with some drakens. He seemed particularly cheery, and Viril had hoped that it would help the sale. He walked over to the group and tried to get his attention.
Placing a hand on the mans shoulder,
"Excuse me, I wish to talk about the mill you have for sale..."
The man shrugged his hand off. Viril puckering his lips in disdain, placed his hand on the mans shoulder again, this time squeezing it a bit.
"Excuse me... You might want to talk to me about it."
The man now annoyed, shrugged the hand off again, looking at Viril with a clearly annoyed face.
"Listen ya knife eared lowte... I'm busy"
Alex went to step forward, but Viril put his arm in his way. Flashing a plat plate, the mans face changed from annoyance, to greed.
"O-oh, I didn't realize that you were someone of high regard.. W-what can I help you with?"
Viril now scouring at the man, flipped the plate in the air before sarcastically placing it in his pocket.
"Well us Knife Ears would like to purchase your Mill."
The man making a face of painful awkwardness, got out of his seat. Walking towards the door, he opened it to usher the party out.
"Well follow me then."
They walked over to the Mill, and saw that they might be able to change it into a shop and create more of a workable front, but once they went inside... Viril had another idea. The building had been made to accommodate workers and carts... but due to an extreme lack of both, it was open enough to put tables and a sort of guild hall. Walking through more of the rooms, he saw that there could be rent-able rooms made, and a sort of food storage in the back. When they were finally done with the tour, Viril handed the man the plat plate, and took the deed from the man.
"Pleasure doin' business witch-ya."
After that, the man slinked out of the mill.
Turning to the others as they brought chairs from the storage room. Alex sat down and crossed his arms.
"So what are we doing with this place? You looked like you had a plan."
Viril smirked, he had thought of a plan for recruiting people. Placing his hands on the counter of the ruined bar, Viril began to tell them of his plan.
"Well since the Brotherhood is fresh, we need a way to recruit people with ease... So here's what I'm thinking.. We have some time before the war starts, and from what I've seen in my vision... It'll be about 2 years before anything starts.. So why buy such a large place? We are going to front as a Guild.."
Ezumy and Alex both looked at Viril in confusion.
"Now hear me out. With a new Mercenary band, which is what the Brotherhood would look like to anyone who doesn't know our goal. We need to start as something that seems... New, but not dangerous. A guild is the way to do it."
Viril nodded his head at the idea, smirking with a wry smile.
"I have the money to start this, money isn't even an issue. I will set up the Ferry point in the stone room below, and we will pay some locals to renovate the Mill into a guild hall/Inn. Ezumy will stay here to run the building until we find someone to do the job, and Alex and I will return to the Castle to check on things there."
Ezumy nodded, and Alex smirked.
"Does that mean we are the Guild Leaders?"
Viril nodded. Standing with a cheer, Alex ran about the room.
"What are we waiting for then??"
Over the course of a few days, Viril hired locals to fix various walls, floors, and ceilings about the Mill. Eventually they got a sign made for the Hall, and on it was 'The Laughing Dragon: The Brotherhood Guild'. It took about a week before the Hall was done, but when it was it should have shined like a gem. The entrance was set up to show a bulletin board with notices on jobs, then there was the dining area where the open area used to be. Tables littered it, and the old bar was turned into the order area. Every room was cleaned and rebuilt into livable rooms, with Viril, Ezumy, Alex, Jhalla and Aral all having their own rooms.
Viril decided that if they were to get Guild Members, they would need to offer something in exchange for their joining. Hiring the local blacksmith, he had swords, bows, and armor made with the Brotherhood symbol on them. He then went about the town, placing pieces of paper that promised three things "A place to live, A set of Armor, and A Meal each day".
Finally deciding that they had finished setting things up, Viril and Alex went to the ferry point below. Before they could go, Ezumy ran up to Viril and gave him an oddly long hug.
"Until you return." she said with a wink.
Viril blushed and shook it off. Walking through the Mirror, they instantly were in the Castle. Walking out onto the courtyard, They noticed that the Castle had changed quite a bit. The Keeper had been busy, most of the walls were fixed and looked as if they were new, golems patrolled the various walls with mechanical precision, and the Brotherhood flag flew nearly at every turret.
"Wow, Arda has been busy, hasn't he.." Alex jested.
Viril nodded his head while looking around.
"That he has."
-Kirito
Alex and Viril walked the walls in peaceful quiet. The golems paid then no attention, facing outward, prepared for any threat. Birds flew over the trees, calling to each other in a variety of screeches.
Suddenly, a blinding light shot across the forest. The birds scattered, taking to the sky in an attempt. Alex and Viril covered their eyes and crouched behind the wall, whilst the golems stood unaffected.
The light faded suddenly as it had come. The two stood cautiously, looking out over the wall.
Flames licked the trees, igniting the leaves. They looked at each other.
"Aral!" They said simultaneously, realisation dawning on them, before they hurried towards the seal.
As they approached, they began to make out a figure stood in the middle of the seal.
"Get your sword, Alex." Viril whispered. Alex drew it slowly, before they stepped into the clearing. Flames wreathed the area, flowing through the mark on the floor. The armoured figure stood a few inches off the ground, staring straight at them through the face plate.
"Who are you?" Alex spoke. The figures head snapped straight to him.
"You." The voice was deep, ominous. "You saved my life once. The debt will not go unpaid." Viril watched, curiosity on his face.
"And you, elf who is of Labes and Obascus, being of two deities, you too are owed a debt." Said the figure, turning to face Viril.
Suddenly, flames burst from the figure, yet they remained untouched. When they died down again, Aral was stood where the figure had been, sweat dripping from his face.
"Aral?" Alex asked, reaching forward to grab him. Aral smacked the hand away.
"I do not need your help. Now, is someone going to tell me where we are? Or will I have to tray and figure it out?" He looked from Alex to Viril. Alex huffed, sheathing his sword, whilst Viril stared at the mark, a look of intense curiosity on his face.
"Hey, elf. Where are we?" Aral snapped his fingers in Virils face.
"Hmmm?" Viril came out of his trance-like state. "Oh. Just outside the caves."
"Are you kidding me?? Marfeldom is so nearby and you chose to stay here? Fools." Aral raged.
A look of realisation crossed Virils face.
"There we go, got some gears turning now, eh?" Aral grinned.
"No. No, this symbol. I recognise it now." Viril said grimly.
"What is it then?" Alex asked.
"It's the mark of Caerulem." Viril responded, emotionlessly.
"So?" Aral sighed.
"Making you the First Knight of the very good that created the Orcs that nearly wiped out your kind." Viril stared straight into Arals eyes.
"Doesn't mean I have to use his power." Aral retorted. "You rarely use Labes', why should I use mine?" He reasoned.
"Maybe. But I have an item to prevent Labes from taking me over. You on the other hand, do not. It may take you by surprise, and we have no way of knowing what will happen if, or when, this power takes you over." Viril said darkly.
*oh yeah, we're back. And yes, I fully intend to Aral to be the same loveable, unbearable asshole. Only now he's also a First Knight. Cuz he wasn't already unpredictable enough *
-Thomas
Fletcher's journey had not been as swift or as easy as he had planned. As he and Charger were riding back to the meet up with the rest of the Brotherhood they noticed smoke rising from the woods and went to investigate. As they got closer they heard the sound of battle. Fletcher pulled out his bow, silently notched an arrow, and made sure his sword was in easy reach. As they came out of the woods they saw a large group of Reivers attacking a small village. He knew this band, they had been terrorizing the area for several months now, and now it seemed they had enough members to start sacking villages. The villagers were putting up a fight, but while they were armed, mostly with farming implements, only a few seemed to have any training. Their wooden palisade had been breached and the archers in the single watchtower were not making much of a difference against the raiders.
Fletcher felt his blood boil at the sight since he had a long standing vendetta against Reivers. He had not forgotten what had happened that fateful night that had eventually brought him to the Guard and he would not let it be repeated here. His first six arrows dropped their targets without alerting the rest of the group but his seventh skirted off his armor.
The bandit turned and saw Fletcher "A Blue Guardsman, Kill him!" He yelled, and as six of the Reivers charged Fletcher he put his bow back into its fur carrying case and drew the diamond sword with his right hand. "For the Guard and for the Fletchers!" Fletcher yelled and spurred Charger on. The sword, named Detun al ruath or the shining star, sliced through the leading Reiver's chain mail with ease, it cut through the oak handle of a battle axe, and through the bronze buckler the last Reiver had. Fletcher turned his gaze upon the remaining Reivers as another six broke off from their attack to stop him leaving only a dozen to fight the villagers. One of the Reivers in this group had a crossbow and his hasty slot managed to pierce the armor protecting Fletcher's wrist. Before the sword could drop he grabbed it with his left hand, hopped off of Charger and attacked the six. Fighting with his left hand so easily shocked the Reivers and he made quick work of them.
The remaining Reivers were done and broke away from the villagers, but as they did one of them decided to get even with the Guardsman who cost them so much and attacked Charger with his spear. Fletcher ran as fast as he could but saw he wouldn't make it in time. When he saw the spear begin to pierce the armor he yelled "NOOO! as he stretched out his hand. It was in that moment of terror that he found something he had not realized was there and in desperation he used it. It was a spell without words, powerful yet incredibly dangerous, but before the Reiver's spear could go more than a few inches past Charger's armor the Reiver screamed. Then he simply ceased to be.
Fletcher had never felt such exhaustion and he fell to the ground having overused his undiscovered and untested power. The villagers quickly moved to his side, placed him in a bed, and waited to see if their hero would wake again.
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex raised his left sword to block Viril’s onslaught of blows. Alex just barely manage to roll out of the way of Jhalla follow up strike from behind. Alex rolled into one of the practice stands, and just manage rise to a kneeling stance before Viril and Jhalla were on him again. He blocked and dodged as best he could but Viril and Jhalla did not let up. Alex was being pushed all over the room, he had to do something. Alex tighten his defense and stood his ground. He waited for his moment, “There!” Alex shouted and drove one of his sword into Viril sword hand, while also delivering a kick to Jhalla upper thigh. Viril dropped his sword, which allowed Alex to strike Viril twice across his chest. He then turned and throw one of his swords at Jhalla who was still stunned from the earlier blow. The sword caught Jhalla in the arm while Alex ran and dropped kicked Jhalla.
Alex Stood up breathing hard, sweat dripping down his face. “Not bad Alex, but you were a bit too slow” Viril said as he began to wipe the red paint off his practice gear. Alex looked down at himself, he was covered in blue and green paint from Viril and Jhalla practice weapons. There was a large Blue slash across Alex's chest. “When did you?” Alex began to say. “You still have much to learn Alex” Viril said as he patted Alex on the shoulder with a grin. “Did you really have to drop kick me? You know i am still recovering right?” Jhalla said as he sat up painfully. “Hey you said not to give you a handicap. I was just doing as you asked.” Alex laughed as he helped Jhalla up.
The sound of mocking clapping came a figure sitting in a chair next to the door that lead out of the Practice room. The Figure was Aral, who had been watching solely because he had nothing better to do. “Bravo, Bravo. I am sure when Marfeldom come you fancy painting style will save us!” Aral clapped on. “You could always join us” Alex challenged. Aral gave a small laugh. “I think not, i have much better things to do them join you three in your useless training. I am going back to my room before your stupid affects me.” Aral got up and left through the door leading to the court yard.
Alex sighed. Aral was always a pain, he wonder what made Aral act the way he did. Jhalla came up and put a hand on Alex’s shoulder, “So you going to tell us what is getting at you? You seemed very unfocused while we were training, as if you were lost in thought” Alex sighed again, “Sorry, i was thinking about Fletcher. It has been almost a month with no reply from him. He should not take that long for him get to Knight Watch.” Viril nodded, listening to Alex talk about how the search parties had turned up nothing as well. When Alex was done Viril said, “so what are you going to do about it?”
“I don’t know, i fear the worse” Alex replied. “Why care so much about him, i mean he is just one human” Jhalla said as he was wiping some red paint off his shoulder pat the refused to come off. “He is not just a human Jhalla, he is one of us. If he is in danger, we swore to go help him.”
Viril looked up to say something when suddenly the door to the training room burst open and a tiny Golem ran into. “Master Alex! Master Alex! I have a..” The Golem missed the top step and fell flat on its face. Alex rushed over to the little Golem and helped it stand back up. The little Golem looked like a small child and was made of what looked like Stone, Wood. Leather and Paper in places. The golem also seemed to have a pair of metal glasses on its “nose”. It eyes were tiny gems that gave off a faint blue glow. “Alex, what is that?” Viril asked. Alex looked up with Grin, “Everyone say hello to Parma. I made him with Arda help. Arda did most of the work, but i was able to add a few enhancements along the way to make much smarter than any of the golems we have standing guard everywhere. I had Parma made to help me in the library. He aids me in the books repair and organizing the books.” Alex looked down at Parma with a question on his mind, “However Parma is not quite done yet, his magical connection are not very stable yet nor is his crystal focal point that houses all his magical energy. They still need time to grow. I told him not leave the library, so why are you here?”
Parma pushed his Glasses up and began,” I um…….know i was not meant to leave the library yet Mater Alex yet……..but…...um…….A report came in…….from Master Ezumy……….” Parma chest open to relieve a fist size crystal floating in the center of his chest with runes covering it and the inner walls. Every so often a small sparks could be seem connecting to the different runes. Parma reach in and pulled out a small letter. He handed the letter to Alex.
Alex open the letter and read it. When he was done, he shook his head and handed the Letter to Viril. Viril read the letter quickly and then said, “ It says Ezumy had gotten reports of a Reivers attack on a small village just south of Knight Watch. In the report it says a member of the Blue Guradmans protect the village. But it says nothing of what happened to the Blue Guradmans.” “so what do you want to do?” Jhalla asked.
Alex turned and grabbed his things and then turned to Parma. “Parma go gather my gear, me and you are going to investigate.” Viril caught Alex arm, “wait we will go with you” Alex shook Viril arm off gently and said, “ No, you are need here to run things. Jhalla is still injured, and Aral, is well Aral. It's ok, I will portal to Knightwatch and gather some supplies for the road and check in with Ezumy. Then i will head for the village and check it out. Don’t worry if i get in trouble i can portal back with this.” Alex said as he pointed to his fairy ring.
Viril did not like it, but Alex was right. He agreed to the plan. Alex grinned, then He and Parma rushed out of the Practice room
-Tal(GA1)
*Claps* Yay, it's my turn. :3
Viril had been walking along the walls of the Castle as Alex left. Stopping atop a turret, he looked out over the forest that surrounded them. Many things had happened in such a short time, which made Viril look back on his life. He had walked the world alone for a very long time and the recent events had begun to change him. He had friends now, and allies... Something he didn't wish to forsake. He looked down at Bolt Bringer, the sword that had brought him power, but at the cost of his sanity. It was time for him to part ways with it.
Walking down to the port room, he touched one of the mirrors, and thought of a place that no one dare go. An image of a green lake shone before him. Placing his hand on the image he closed his eyes. When he opened them he was in front of the lake.
"Obcasus' Soul Urn" He whispered.
Walking towards the edge of the lake he looked down... There was nothing but black at the bottom of it.
No one would ever seek the blade down there He thought to himself.
Untying the blade from his belt, he took a look at the hilt. Taking the starry gem from the hilt, he placed it in his pouch. With a stern look, he out-stretched his arm with the blade, and held it over the water. So much was wrong with this sword, and no being should ever have to pay the price it required.
This is not the end, I will return sword or not... Knife Ear
With anger in his face, he drew his arm back, and with a loud scream he threw the blade out into the middle of the Lake... as he felt it leave his hand, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Falling to his knees.. He let out a sigh of relief.
"I am free of him."
Moments went by until he stood again. Closing his eyes once more, he thought of the mirror... When he opened them again he was back in the room. Walking out of the room, he waved his hand down, calling Mios. He then tied the blade to his belt, and went into his room. With a look of surprise, he saw the Ezumy was waiting for him.
"I thought you were at the guild hall?"
Ezumy picked up a small wooden figure that was on his side table.
"I believe your words were for me to stay there until we found someone to take my place, and I did." She said with a smirk.
Lifting the figure, she playfully bobbed it towards Viril. Reaching out, he grabbed it from her, walking over to the table to place it in its spot.
"That was my son's... Please don't touch it."
He motioned her for the door, he was tired and wanted to sleep. Smirking again, she walked out of the door, not before looking back and saying,
"meet me down by the river at sunset, I have things to tell you."
Viril looking confused, nodded his head. With a sweet smile she walked out of his room. Sitting in his bed, he shut his eyes and drifted to sleep.
He heard the clanging of swords out in the courtyard later that day.. It must have been new recruits training. Lifting himself up he noted that it was nearing sunset. Walking down to the river he wondered what is was that she wished to speak of. When he finally arrived he took note of a strange white light to the west of him. Sneaking through the trees and brush, he saw that it was Ezumy casting white light over the water. Making himself known, he walked into the small opening.
"What is it that you wished to discuss?" he asked.
she looked over her shoulder,
"I have seen many things walking this world, probably not as many as you, but many all the same."
He looked confused.
"Of those things, there is one that I hold dear to me"
She stood up looking over at him.
"You may not remember this, but we have met before."
Viril continued his confused look.
"I was a bit younger then, but I assure you we have met before. You came into the elven wood once, about 50 years ago... My father was a shop keep at the time, and you came into the shop to looking for elden wood."
Viril remembered that day, it had been quite foggy, and he was being hunted by Rugar Draken. He had been poisoned and sought out elden wood to eat so as to neutralize the toxin. He had stayed with the shop keep for about the week. There had been a girl there that was overly friendly towards him, and had asked where he was from. Helping her father, he had grown attached to them and figured that he had better of left before something bad had happened. Gifting a small jewel he had found in a void temple to the little girl he had left for other places.
He smirked, it had been a while since he had thought of them. Looking over at her, he noted how she looked like the girl, just older. She lifted her hand, and showed off a bracelet with a small jewel in the center.
"You kept it.." He said in awe.
She smiled.
"I couldn't well and throw away a gift from the great Viril, now could I?"
They both had a good laugh, and decided to walk back to the castle. On the way back Viril noticed something different, he felt an odd sensation in his chest, but put it out of his mind..
-Thomas
Fletcher had floated in and out of consciousness for several weeks following the attack against the village. His condition had worried the village leaders but the village healers had worked hard to stop the infection caused by the wound from a crossbow bolt. On the third week Fletcher woke up. He was still tired from his ordeal and slightly fuzzy as to what had happened during the attack. One of the village healers walked into the room.
“Oh, you’re up. How are you feeling?”
“Tired” He replied.
“That’s not hard to believe seeing how you’ve been sick for the last few weeks.”
“Two weeks? Have I’ve been sleeping that whole time?”
“Pretty much.”
Fletcher could feel sleep coming on again and resisted the call. “What about my horse, Charger?”
“He’s fine, although no one is sure what you did to that one bandit. To be honest it has rattled quite a few that you did that spell without words.”
“To be fair I didn’t even know what I was doing. I didn’t even know I had magic until then.”
“Best keep that to yourself for now. It looks like you still need rest so I’ll let you be.”
The next two weeks passed by in a blur. Fletcher, when not resting, worked on regaining the strength in his right arm, training the villagers who had armed themselves from the bandit’s equipment, and trying to understand his new ability. As near as he could determine, from his limited knowledge, his magical power was different from the norm. He only dared to try little things not wishing to spend too much time sleeping but wanted to know more. His control was spotty and without his full concentration the wrong object would move or the wrong target be hit.
As the sun was setting, Fletcher was checking up on Charger and as he was oft to do when they were alone he was talking out load. “I have to wonder how often someone can just use magic without words; I suspect it is not many. It seems to be very dangerous and I’ll need quite a bit of training to use this power right. The rest of the Brotherhood needs to know I’m okay and hopefully I can get some answers about my new power from the First Knights. Anyway see you tomorrow my friend.”
As he was leaving to go to bed Charger nudged him and his face seemed to say “Don’t worry about everything.”
“I’ll do my best Charger, night.”
The Dragon Gods grow weary of waiting, the time is nigh. On the Final day of this week, the Holy Star will fall and the tale will once again be started. Prepare yourself for it arrival, and ready your tales... It will begin soon.
-Tal(Game Admin 1)
It begins...
The Tale will start off with something unepected...
Viril had been looking at the night sky as the camp fire had died. The wind had settled to a mild breeze, and most of the party was asleep. He had found it hard to sleep on cliffsides, and would usually just rest his body. Being a full-blooded meant that he could remain awake at all hours, and not have mental degradation like humans or dwarves. Looking out over the valley, he could barely make out the light of Frysta'Ort, a Froste Legion city known for its unique lights made from perma-ice.
Resting his head back against the rocky wall, he wondered how he had ended with his two companions, one Half-breed, and an Aasmir. Smirking he thought of the journey ahead, only when a bright blue light flashed in the sky did he look up. A falling star had ignited into an icy blue flame. Standing he looked in awe, and then slight wariness... That star was falling close to where they were camping, even though it was a cliff side. Running to the edge Viril could almost feel the heat of the star as it wooshed downward towards the foot of the mountain pass. He leaned over to see where it was going to hit when all of a sudden the air swirled around at the base... Listening close, he heard an incantation wafting through the air.
"Darastrix Ithquenti, Xurwk Wer Suaco Vaex Ghoros Ve."
A sudden gust of wind followed by a mass of air being pulled down caused Viril to stumble onto his knees. Trying desperately to hold onto the rock outcropping, his hand slipped and he was pulled off the ledge. Everything happened in a blur, he saw the ground coming fast, and drew Bolt-Bringer out. Yelling out "Darastrix Kornari di Ibafarshan" The Blade started to glow red, then white. He then plunged the blade into the mountain side, only causing it to spark and bounce off. Viril started to panic, and with one final push he managed to push the blade in causing the rock around it to melt. As he started to slow down, he reached for his belt to grab some "droshanin" (Long Grass in Elven) to which he tied around a jagged piece of metal that he had in the same pocket. Whispering at his blade, "Darastrix Kornari Ssifisv", the blade stopped glowing. The rock then cooled, and hardened around the blade. Using the opportunity he wedged the piece of metal into a crack. He then lifted his legs up onto the wall, positioning them on both sides of his sword. Taking a deep breath he tied the free end of the droshanin around his belt, and started to push off of the wall. Using all his might, he managed to pull free of the wall, and started to fall downwards. Yelling "Alaa no'a i' anar" the droshanin started to lengthen, eventually Viril made a sharp stop when his falling caught up to the growing of the elven weed.
As the droshanin kept growing downward, Viril could make out the ground. There was clusters of burning blue rock scattered everywhere. Trees had been ignited by the stars flame, causing a mixture of red and blue flames to light the darkened, smoky sky. When he had finally made it to the ground he saw what had caused the magical explosion. A woman was laying in the grass, passed out. She had most likely used a spell that was too powerful for her to control, resulting in the broken star. Walking over to her he noticed something odd. She bore no staff, nor magical source. So how did she cast a spell. He remembered hearing Draconic tongue before he fell, but only disciples of Labes and Caeruleum could do such magic source less, and such mages hadn't been seen in 200 hundred years.
He crouched by her, moving her auburn hair away from her face. He then saw her ears, they were Elven. Standing and taking a step back he wondered what an elf was doing this far out, especially one who practiced Non-Source Magic. He brought his hand up to his face, giving his chin stubble a rub.
"This doesn't make any sense."
He walked over to her again. Checking for any wounds from the star. Finally voting that she was fine other than the obvious Mana exhaustion, he lifted her up and rested her against a boulder. Looking around, he wanted to make sure that there was in fact no magical source. He came upon her bag in some tall grass, noticing that there was an abundance of "platohol ternesjs' " (Prison Stones in Draconic- Stones used to capture magical substances).
"Was she trying to capture the star fragments?" He asked himeself.
He then felt a cold chill at his back.
"Cam amin tanya man naa amin, tal edhel." Hand me that which is mine, city elf
The woman had awoken, and had her hand pointed at Viril's back. Frost was rolling off her palm. Smart He thought If she uses that, she won't damage the stones Standing slowly he turned towards her.
"Naa lle en' Elvhen?" Are you of the Elvhen? (Elvhen - the non-diluted Elven People who were said to have been born from Matrona's tears.)
She looked at him and was astounded that he spoke Elvhen (Not Elvish which was used to communicate with Humans and Dwarves). He then put his hand out, which hung out the bag in front of her. When she went to reach for it, hers eyes fluttered and she began to fall. Viril dropped down to catch her. Opting that she wasn't safe by herself there he decided she was coming with him to his destination. Before he left though, he took some stones and captured quite a bit of the star shards, hoping that they would be of some use to her. He then threw the bag over his shoulder, and then fashioned a back saddle to carry her with. Once he had her secured he started up the steps again, making sure to grab the makeshift grapple hook (the droshanin).
It had taken him a few hours to get back up to where he fell. He didn't bother stopping at the other points, as the woman wasn't too heavy. When he had finally made it up the final stair, he saw everyone looking concerned, and then they noticed the woman....
-Thomas
Traveling late at night astride his warhorse was a young man, a member of the Blue Guard. Fletcher did not like to travel at night, except with a full moon because of the many dangers that it posed to him and his steed Charger. The shadows looked like they were creeping along the lonely road, and that did not help Fletcher’s wariness to night travel, which was unchanged even after his training. He hefted his spear, reassured by its weight, and checked to see that his sword and mace were still within easy reach. He was clad in the fine chain-mail of his family’s forge; it offered him good protection while still being lightweight. His dark blue clothes hid him well in the moonlight. He shivered as the wind further chilled the night air. “Soon”, he thought. “Soon I will be an officer of the Guard and will no longer have to suffer through these night patrols”.
Suddenly the starlight seemed to change, and as he looked up, far off, he saw a shooting star streaking across the night sky. “That was not good,” he thought. “That could be a bad omen. Or even worse, magic”. There had been a few very unpleasant experiences with magic at the start of his training and he wished to avoid them. “What do you think, Charger, should we press on or stay put?” A strange practice to outsiders, the Blue Guard often consulted with their horses, and like many before him, Fletcher had learned to trust his only constant companion. Charger picked up his pace to a steady trot and they began their advance towards the fallen star.
-Kirito
Aral was dressed in black. He flitted like a shadow against the night sky, his wings fluttering, buzzing in the darkness. His eyes swept across the mountain range, taking everything in. He had darkvision, one of the advantages of being a Faerie.
He noticed something in the corner of his eye. He descended rapidly to investigate it. A group of orcs were picking their way across one of the mountains. Anger flared in him.
Why were the orcs leaving their territory?
Whatever the reason, they had to be stopped.
He flew down, landing with a crunch in the snow behind them. He winced, they must have heard him.
Sure enough, the rear orc turned.
What an ugly beast it was! A six foot slab of muscle. It had no hair, a large, sloping forehead with little horns protruding from it and the most horrible breath you've ever smelled. It reeked of raw meat and rotten fish.
It let out a deep, bellowing roar, before drawing its blade and charging. Cursing, Aral drew his blade. Taking up a defensive stance, he held his ground until the last second. The beast was nearly upon him when he flew up and dropped behind, slipping his blade between the orcs ribs without even looking.
The others had noticed the disturbance and were approaching swiftly. Aral took to the skies. His blade flashed silver in the moonlight as it slashed and stabbed at the orc squadron. Heads rolled and blood gushed from the bodies of the slain.
Then unimaginable pain pierced him.
The orcs leader, the only one left alive, had stabbed his left wing. Aral collapsed to the ground, the beast approaching him warily.
He weakly raised his sword. He parried a thrust, riposting swiftly to kill the leader.
His strength was leaving him quickly. He surveyed the area, and noticed what seemed to be a campfire. He shakingly stood, and began the long trek towards it. What he would find there, he did not know
-Thomas
they came off the road, and at the base of the cliff, they saw where the star had fallen. Fletcher could not figure out everything that had happened, but it was clear that someone had been there, waiting for the star. “What beings did this?” He pondered, “What did they hope to gain?” He let out a sigh. How he wished he had learned something about magic, but after tending to soldiers injured by magic, he had refused any more training involving magic.
As he turned his gaze upward, he saw a zigzag line running from the bottom to the top of the cliff. “There is a staircase carved into the mountain.” Curious, he and Charger quickly made their way to the bottom steps, he dismounted, and he said “Charger, follow.” He led the way up for almost three hours, but stopped right below the top of the stairs once he saw the light of a campfire.
He steeled himself, gripped his spear with both hands, and began to climb the last few steps. He knew if there were any of those who practiced dark magic by that fire, they were dead, but if not…
-Kirito
Aral was seeing spots. Pain was lancing through his body. Gritting his teeth, he pushed on, the light from the fire coming closer and closer.
Cold.
So very cold.
He reached the plateau upon which the adventurers had made their camp. He stumbled towards it, shouting for help. The party stood, weapons in hand.
Aral was pleading, tears falling from his eyes.
Then he keeled over, darkness taking him.
His body fell with a soft thump in the snow.
(N.B. For those who are wondering why a wing injury caused this much suffering, a Faeries wings are INCREDIBLY sensitive. A slight scratch is enough to nearly incapacitate a Faerie)
-Tal(GA1)
Laying the woman down, Viril walked over to his bag. He had thought that his absence would have alerted more of the party, but to his dismay most of them had been hard asleep from the journey. Alex was awake, but when he had seen that Viril was okay he went back to his bedroll.
Tying the woman's small bag onto his own pack, he noticed that even the bag was Old Elven. Smirking, he thought that it'd be a relief to talk in actual Elvhen once again. He reached into her bag and pulled out a prison stone, looking at how the stone had changed into a sort of crystal. Thinking it would be his price for helping her, he took 3 of the ten stones, and placed two in his own bag, while taking the smallest one and tying a strand of leather around it. He had always heard that stars were lucky, and figured that having one around his neck would serve as a ward of some kind. As he tucked it underneath his shirt, he heard a weak yell
"Help!"
He turned to see where it came from, and noticed a man in black falling into the snow. Running over to his side, he sensed another presence coming from the other set of stairs. Waving at the group to ready themselves, he had hoped to avoid any bloodshed until he heard a deafening roar. Looking up, he saw what he had hoped to avoid on this venture. A mass of rotting, scaly flesh flew through the sky. The Falling star had attracted the Drake, and it had spotted the party. Viril quickly pulled some Healing potion out of his belt, and turned the man in black over, pouring the fluid into the mans mouth, he had hoped that would help whatever ailed him. He lifted the man up, and placed him underneath the rocky outcropping next to the Elven woman.
Drawing his blade, he stood ready to fight.
"Damn thee gods, could this have plagued us another time?" He cursed
A fight would ensue, but would he and his party survive?
-Thomas
Stepping into the light of the campfire, he halted; whoever they were, they ready for him. He counted five but only three were conscious; he recognized that several were elves. “Blue Guard” he shouted, but a roar in the sky drowned it out. He looked up and saw a creature that turned his blood to ice.
He recognized it as a Drake, but far larger than the records had indicated, then his adrenaline and training kicked in thawing his blood. Recalling what he had learned he knew it was a terrible creature to fight, and that survivors were rare and often deformed; but if he could avoid the spiked tail and get past its dagger claws, the jaws filled with flesh-eating venom, and then slash its throat they could survive. He saw no spears among the party, and realized the task of killing the creature would fall to him. “Stay close to me and protect my flank,” he yelled to the party, and then he rushed past them to confront the creature.
-Tal(GA1)
The fight had been going on for hours, the party was getting tired. Viril had taken a few deep hits to his sword arm, and was beginning to become fatigued from moving the two unconscious people. They had made their way up the rest of the stairs in the hopes of gaining favorable ground. Taking shelter under a crumbled pillar, Viril tried to think of some way to get through the pass without taking anymore damage. A thought popped into his head, and without hesitating he ran for center of the pass, ducking under an old cart.
"Everyone, try to rush the otherside, I will distract it with a shine-stone." he yelled.
Everyone nodding, they began to run out from behind the cover they were hiding behind. Viril then threw a stone in the air, which erupted in a blinding light. The drake had been flying over the entire party when the light hit it. Falling towards the ground, it hit with a hard "thud". The tremor caused the party to stop in it's tracks. Looking down, Viril's blood turned cold. Small cracks began to appear around the drake, which then turned into deep gashes. Deep crumbling could be heard, and chunks of the road began to fall into a deep abyss. Viril started to run, but carrying the two unconscious weighed him down. Into the black abyss he fell, looking around he could see everyone else falling as well. Everything went dark.
Viril woke up on a stone floor, looking around he saw the two that he had initially been carrying, and then the man with the horse. He couldn't see Alex, or Jhalla anywhere. Viril slowly got up, wincing at the pain in his sword arm. Looking up he saw the faint light of what he assumed was the massive hole in the pass. All around him though, was something entirely different. All around the party and him was a vast plaza, made from crafted stone. Giant pillars were laid out in straight rows, holding up the rocky ceiling.
The woman started to wake up, and faintly looked over at Viril.
"W-where... Are we?" she asked
Viril still looking around with his mouth agape said,
"We are in the Sealed city of Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj, the last resting place of Gimra Duerdak.... The First Stone Crafter of Tellus."
*Our adventure has taken a twist... Now they must find their way through the dwarven city. What happened to Alex and Jhalla? What happened to the Drake? Who knows...
-Lord Frostsword(Game Admin 2)
Alex awake with a start. He felt warn out, and a bit lost. "Where am I?" he wondered aloud. He lay on a patch of un-chard stone, a visible half-circle of black chard stone in front of him. He scanned the the area and saw a person laying on his back with what looked like a deep cut across his back. Alex, rose to his feet, noting as he did at how light he felt. He turned the man over to see if he was alive, as he peered down at the man, he notice that is was not a man, but a Aasmir? Why was that important? Alex felt he was forgetting something, as if somethings was tugging at the edge of his memory. He looked at the Aasmir face again, and then a name came to his mind, Jhalla. The memories rushed back to him all at once. He remember laying on the cool rock just as night fall the previews day, and sleep had refused to come to him until late in the evening. Something had woken him up just in time to see Viril fall off the cliff and the sky painted blue. He had awake Jhalla who was sound asleep and rushed to the cliffs edge. Alex had gotten there in time to see Viril using what looked like long grass to reach the ground safely. Alex as saw the a women lay on her back near where Viril was heading. Alex had rushed to his pack and retrieved his hand Crossbow and a few bolts. He would watch Virils back while he dealt with the women.
Alex watch as Viril returned with the women. Alex had already return his Crossbow and bolts back to his pack as he saw no danger from the women, a eleven women Alex noted, as Viril enter the camp with her. Alex thought of the long road tomorrow and thought it would be best to get some rest, he could question Viril tomorrow about the blue glowing rocks he picked up. Just as Alex begin to fall asleep, he felt the same feeling he had earlier in the day where he felt something was calling out to him, clouding his thoughts. Just at that moment he heard someone cry out, and then the roar of a drake seconds later.
Alex remember the fighting, it had gone of for what felt like hours. Alex had buried bolt after bolt into the drake, and had slashed at it with his sword with his most powerful spells. However the drake pushed on swiping at them with claws and fang, swinging its massive spiked tail at them. Alex, Jhalla, a human named Fletcher(the man the cried before the drake attack) with his horse, and Viril carrying the injured elf and a Faerie, Had retreated further up the stairs in hopes of getting a a better footing on the Drake, but it seemed useless. Viril, who had taken a great many hits from the drake placed the two injured down, and then shouted at them to make a run to the other side to out flank the drake, that had taken to the skies. Viril had thrown what look like a small rock into the air. The small rock erupted in a blinding light. Just as Alex made it the the right of the drake he saw the monster land with a loud "thud". The ground begin to crack, and as alex watch, powerless to help, he saw Viril, Fletcher(with his horse, and the two injured people fall into a giant hole. The drake simple glided on its massive wings and easily clearing the hole, and landing in front of Alex and Jhalla, blocking their exit.
Jhalla and Alex looked at one another, while they did hold some distaste for the other, right now they were brothers of the same battlefield. The gave each other a quick nod with a strain smile. Then they charged the drake, swords in hand. If they hoped to save Viril and the others they had to do something about this drake. That is, if they did not die first. Alex and Jhalla fought the drake with every ounce of energy they could muster. The docked under the drake's claws, docked away from its threatening fangs, and jump out of the way of its spiked tail. Then it happened. As Jhalla moved to dodge the drake's tail, he did not see nor had the time to react to its claws as they slashed through his back. Tearing through his armor like paper. Jhalla let out a cry of pain, and fall to one knee his sword burried in the ground to keep him upright. Alex knew right away that he was to far away to get to Jhalla in time to stop the Drake next attack that was already coming straight toward his head. Just before the blow struck there was a blur of movement, and then the sound of metal grinding against the drakes claws.
As Alex looked on, he saw what looked like a elf, but with wings coming out of his back! The elf pushed the drake back with other worldly strength. He looked hatefully at the drake and said, "by Immunis your a ugly one. We will have to do something about that." The Elf raised his sword parallel to his head and charged. Alex rushed over to Jhalla and pulled him cleared to a nearby tree. Alex took a quick look over Jhalla, who had pass out from his wound on his back. Jhalla was bleed badly from his wound. Alex quickly grabbed a small dagger from him belt, he whispered into the small blade, "Sana Vi". The dagger blade begin to form green glowing runes down its length. Alex took the blade and cut slightly across the open wound on Jhalla's back. The runes faded from the dagger, and Alex saw the healing magic taking effect. The bleed stopped, and the wound begin to close. Alex turned back to the the drake and the elf with wings. The Elf was holding his own, but Alex could see that the elf was tiring quickly. Fighting a drake alone was no easy feat. Just as Alex rose to his feet and pick up his sword to aid the elf, The Drake struck out its clawed paw and knocked the Elf some 30 feet back. The elf struck the rock wall of the mountain, hard, and fall still. It was just the drake and Alex now.
Alex swallowed hard, this was it. He had no hope of holding off the drake alone He felt so frustrated, how was he going to kill this thing? He took a deep breath, and steady himself for what was to come. Suddenly, the drake latched out at Alex. Alex nimbly jumped out of the way just as the drake tails struck the ground where he had been standing moments before. Alex raised his sword and tried to place a burning enchantment on his blade. However the Drake struck first. The Drake slashed down on Alex, force Alex to caught the Darke claws with his blade just above his head. The Drake pushed down with such force that it slowly forced Alex down lower into the ground. At that moment, Alex did not feel afraid, all he felt was frustration at his own inability. Then, Alex felt a sharp intake of pain in his abdomen. He looked down to see the Drakes other claws had run him through, Alex blood begin pouring out of his body. Alex sunk to his knees when the drake removed his claws. Alex cough up blood, some spilling onto his clothing and sword. As Alex looked up he saw the drake just above him, preparing for the final thrust that would end his life. Alex thought to himself, "I don't want to die yet" Suddenly Alex Chest erupted into light. Alex looked down to see the angel pendent that his mother had given him before they left on this journey, was the source of the light. The light engulf Alex, covering him in aura of white light.
Alex felt his strength returning to him, as he stood the drake back away confused. Alex looked down and watch his wound close right before his eyes. He clenched his hands together and picked up his sword. He felt great, no better then great. He felt amazing. Then, as if on it own, his hand rest on top of his blade, and Alex spoke into the blade, "Sanctum Gelu Lamina!" Alex had no idea where the words had come from, but his blade begin to form new runes down its length. The new runes glowing a pale blue light. almost flame the surrounded the blade. Alex, sprung from his place, with speed not of his own and launched himself at the drake. He struck the drake square across its chest once, then twice, and then a third time with his blade. The drake howled in pain as a pale blue flame engulf the drake. The flame raged all around the drake, and refused to go out, no matter how the drake tried to put it out. Finally, the drake thrashing in its pain tumbled right off the cliffs edge, landing with a sicking smack at the bottom. Alex knew that the drake was dead. He mind thought of jhalla and the others, but as he turned toward the hole, he felt his legs give out from under him. just before he hit the ground he felt darkness took him.
Alex looked again at Jhalla he was breathing, and it seemed his wound had mostly healed. Alec nodded in satisfaction. He turned to where he last saw the Winged Elf, but he was no where to be seen. Deciding that was probably for the best, Alex moved toward the Cliffs edge and peered down. He saw the smoldering remains of the Drake. He wondered where that spell had come from, and could he use it again? but quickly decided he could figure that out later. First he had to get to Viril and the others. He did not know why, but he was sure they were all alive, he felt it. He moved to the hole and looked down. He could not see the bottom. He begin paced the hole and think over what could be done. The hole was far to deep for the rope he had with him, even with Jhalla supply of rope. As he paced he tripped over something on the ground. As he looked down, he saw it was what looked like a old wooden handle, maybe for a axe, or even pickaxe maybe? As Alex looked around, he saw for the first time a old ruin stone entrance way into the mountain. How did he not see that before? as he moved closed he saw one of the great stone doors laying it pieces on the ground, the other one barely hanging on but is large stone hinge. He looked above the ruin entrance way and say something written there in dwarven. It read "Kazad A Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj" or "City of Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj" Alex had a feeling the rest of his party was down there, and they where alive. He decide he would get Jhalla fixed up and best he could, and then gear up and head into the old ruin to find his friends. If Jhalla was fit, he would come along. If not then he would sit out here until Alex returned. Alex set to work
**I have been waiting so long to write this ^_^**
-Thomas
Fletcher awoke in pain. “What happened?” he thought. He could not remember the previous day at all. With his head too fuzzy to think clearly, he decided not to move until he was certain he was okay. After a time he knew could safely move, and he slowly got to his feet. He leaned on his spear and quietly observed the underground city, still unsure as to what had occurred. As his memory of the last day began to return, he remembered the fallen star, the party he had found, the Drake, and then the long battle that had ensued. He heard the elf, Viril say they were in an old dwarf city. His grasp of languages was not good enough to understand the name of the city, nor did it matter to him. He had other priorities at that moment.
He took quick inventory of himself and his gear: while no bones were broken, he had a good amount of bruises, and he was tired. His Ironwood spear was fine, and his sword and mace had managed to remain on his belt. Looking above he realized they could not leave the way they had come. With the last of the fuzziness gone from his head, he went to check on his horse, Charger.
Charger was fine, “How, old friend is this possible?” he remarked. “How is it that you are unharmed from such a fall?” He began looking over Charger’s gear, and he noticed that a small part of Charger’s armor was scorched. Upon inspection, he noticed fragments of a clear gem that was hidden in one the leather straps. There was only one explanation he decided, the Stable Master must have had a ward placed on Charger for his protection. Fletcher had heard of such gems from some of the older Guards, and realized that the fall had depleted the ward, destroying the gem.
With Charger in tow, he approached the elves. “What are we to do now?”
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex was leaning against a tree when Jhalla awake. Jhalla was laying on his back on a make shift bedding Alex had made from some tree branches and some usable clothe from a ruined bedroll he had found near the destroyed gates of Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj. Jhalla looked up at the sky and muttered, " Am i alive?" Alex answer came quickly, "Yes you are very alive, thanks to my quick thinking that is." Jhalla looked over at Alex, then moved up to a sitting position, with some pain and looked around their makeshift camp. "What happened to the drake?" Jhalla asked. Alex hesitated before he answered, he was unsure if Jhalla would believe him. "Its dead"
Jhalla eyes narrowed and said, "how? Don't tell me you killed it all by yourself?" Alex could not suppress a grin, " Well, hate to tell you but i did, its at the bottom of the cliff if you don't believe me. However to be fair, it nearly killed me first, and i only just manage to force it off the cliff before i passed out." Jhalla shook his head, "Beginners luck i guess. So then how did you manage to close the wound on my back then?" Alex smiled and walked over to Jhalla, " Combat Magic is not the only thing i can put into my blades. I place a Healing Rune along my dagger's blade and was able to heal the wound with the amplify effect. Although if i'm am being honest, i have never tried to use my healing runes on a living person before. So thank you for being my first test subject. It turned out way better then i thought it would" Jhalla draw back, "you could had killed me you stupid Half-breed!" "Yea but you did not die so, i guess your luck held out this time fake god." Alex said still smiling at Jhalla.
Jhalla seems to remember something just then and started looking around the camp again. He looked back at Alex, "where are the others? are they still alive?" Alex nodded and pointed to the hold, " it seems there luck held out as well. We are above the ancient Dwarf city of Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj. They are still alive, i can sense them. And look at that" Alex pointed to the ruin doors to the old city in the mountain side. "we have a way in." "Then lets get goi-, wait was that on your arm before?" Jhalla was pointing at something on Alex upper left arm. Alex look at his shoulder and found a rune there engraved on his skin. The Rune hum with magic. Alex look at it in awe, "when did that get there?" The rune was shaped like a cross with a spiral design running behind it. It gave off a faint blueish light, just strong enough to be seen. Alex shook his head and looked at Jhalla. "it seems alot of strange things have been happening to me lately." "what do you mean? explain." Jhalla said. "i will, i will." Alex said as he stood up, "But lets do that as we try to find the rest of the party ok?" Jhalla took a long moment to watch Alex, then nod and got to his feet, with some effort.
Alex and Jhalla set to work readying their gear to enter Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj and to find the rest of their party members.
-Kirito
Aral saw nothing but blackness, dark and inky. He could feel the coldness of stone on his back. His head was in a lot of pain.
Suddenly he felt someone shaking him. He slowly opened his eyes to see an elf (Viril) standing over him.
"Faerie, are you ok?" The elf asked.
Aral didn't reply, instead looked around. This wasn't the mountain. It was some kind of underground city.
Then he saw something that made his stomach lurch.
In an instant he was on his feet and across the room. He grabbed the neck of the woman and pinned her to the wall, with a strength that belied his small size.
"Wow wow wow, hey, what are you doing?" Viril cried out.
Aral ignored him again, instead drawing his sword and pointing the tip straight at the woman's throat.
"Why did you leave us?" He hissed.
The human grabbed him, pulling him away as he struggled. The woman dropped to the floor and Viril rushed to her side.
"What in the hells do you think you're doing?" Viril shouted at him.
"Justice." Aral replied, his voice dripping with venom.
"Justice? All I see is a Faerie trying to kill an elf."
"Justice for what her kind did to mine."
"And what would that be exactly?"
"Her race is the predecessor to mine. Whenever they needed help, we were the first they turned to, and without fail we would help. And yet when the Orcs came and we needed them, they turned their backs on us and left. There used to be millions of us, but because of them, there are now but a few hundred of us left alive."
Viril looked shocked. The woman on the floor said nothing, but instead looked at the floor.
Aral stood.
"Come on, we need to leave. It stinks of death here. I think the bloodshed was recent."
He left the room and made his way onto the street. There were the signs of combat. Orc and Dwarf bodies law scattered across the ground.
He felt something touch his wing.
He spun around quickly, to the the woman with her hand outstretched.
"Don't touch me!" Viril snapped.
"I can heal it. Your wing." She replied calmly.
"It will heal fine on its own. I don't want your help or your charity." Aral spat at her feet.
"I'm sorry. For what happened." She said, staring at the floor.
"Then you should have stayed and fought." Aral turned away and walked.
The others looked at each other, then followed.
-Tal(GA1)
Tensions were high, Viril could understand the hatred, he felt the same about humans. To him elves were his people, and he would stand by them when they needed it.
"I don't care what happened in your past Faerie, touch another hair on her head and you will have to deal with me..."
Viril stopped himself
What am I saying? I don't even know her..
He turned, and faced the Large stone doorway. Looking up he shook his head.
"We have more pressing matters at hand, this is a bad place to be."
The Man with the horse looked over with a puzzling look.
"Why is that, elf?"
Viril went rummaging through his belt and pulled out a white crystal.
"This a tomb, a nest for undead things. I've heard tale that many a Lich roam down here."
Taping the stone with his finger, it began to shine with an otherworldly light. Lifting it into the air he shone it upon the door way, and on the doorway it read 'Behl De Marr, Lyyaz Lyvv Stroll' with strange crosses on every stone lining the doorway.
"What does it say?" The Elven woman asked.
Viril frowned. Turning to the group he saddled the stone in a pouch with a hole in the face.
"It reads, Under the Mountain, False Life Walks. And those crosses keep the dead at bay, this must be the Crypt-keepers room". Viril walked forwards towards the right side of the door. Placing his hand upon the stone he could feel magic in it. He let out a big sigh and walked over to the elven woman.
"The undead won't come in here, it is a sort of haven. So who are all you?"
-Kirito
"My name is of no concern to you, elf." Aral said, contemptuously. It was clear to him whose side the elf was on.
"I disagree. If you want to stay and help us, I think we have the right to know your name."
"You may do, elf, and the same to you, human. But she does not!" He didn't even look at the woman.
"Why do you despise me so?" The woman asked.
"Oh don't act so innocent, like you know nothing. You know exactly why I hate you. You ran, like the rest of your species. You abused your power of us, and then when we needed you, you fled."
"But it isn't my fault. The council willed it."
"Some disobeyed the council. They stayed and helped us fight. You could have too."
The woman looked despairingly at Viril. Viril turned away and looked at the wall.
"Very well, Faerie. You may not wish to give your name, but you may have mine. It is Viril."
-Tal(GA1)
*Maniacal laughter. It's about to get weird.*
Viril turned his head in disdain.
The Gall of that faerie He thought.
Walking over to the doorway he glanced into the darkness. Placing his hand onto the enchanted stone.
"Name or not, we need to go this way if we are to leave... And there are frightening things down this way."
The Faerie smirked and said, "Well how is it that you know the way?"
Placing his hand upon the hilt of his sword, Viril heard the static of voices. Down the path, and to the left he heard among many of the other voices. Without answering he turned to the elvhen woman and outstretched his hand.
"I gather you have no desire to stay with someone so abrupt, so one Elvhen to another.. Will you come with me?"
She looked over at the faerie, and then back at him. Nodding her head she grabbed his hand, and he stepped towards the doorway.
"You can stay if you wish, but let me tell you this... Dwarven Tomb's are notorious for collapsing safe-rooms."
He then walked through the doorway, placing another light stone into the pouch on his vest. Drawing his sword, he called upon fire, and the blade glowed with an ember hue. He knew what lurked down in these hallways and wasn't about to be unprepared.
Walking, he looked around to see that most of the pillars and ceilings were in working order. He turned in amazement, and then happened to see the faerie with a look of utter dismay. Viril smirked, and then continued to walk. Coming upon a massive door, he noticed that there were two massive stone statues on both sides of the door. Stepping closer to them they were grossly bigger than what he had thought, even the door was bigger than that of the statues. Easily 300 feet tall, they could have made most towns seem tiny in comparison.
"How are we supposed to open this door?" The woman asked.
Looking around, Viril noticed that there was a stone turret to the far right of were they were. Pointing he started to say "Over there" before he was cut off by a deafening noise. It had sounded like the drake, but bigger, far deeper of a roar. Whatever it was, it wasn't good. Wincing in pain at the massive creatures yell, he turned to see if anything was there, but there was nothing but the black. Looking over at the rest of the party, he waved them to the door, and told them to stay put. Running to the turret, he took a massive leap, grabbing onto the ledge where the tower sat. Lifting himself up, he hurriedly climbed the stairs to the top. It was then that he say what made said noise. About 750 meters there stood an massive Bone Golem. It slowly stumbled as it's frame cracked and buckled under it's own weight. Viril quickly scanned over the room to find some kind of button or switch. It was then that he found a massive stone lever, topped with a green gem. He quickly ran over to it, and grabbed onto the bar. Placing both feet upon the wall, the lever started to pull with a deep stone grinding. Falling to the floor, Viril quickly hopped back to his feet, and wrapped some rope grass around the lever. Jumping from the top of the tower, he caused the grass to extend, and then hit the ground with a soft thud.
Looking upon the doorway, he noticed that the Statues started to crack at the joints. He noticed movement out of the corner of his eye, and swiftly jumped out of the way. The Statues were moving! and he was almost crushed by the foot. The two massive statues both stepped in front of each side the door, and began to push on it. With a massive dusty gust of wind, the door began to open. By this time, the Bone Golem had noticed the commotion, with a blood curdling scream, it began to pick up it's pace in the party's direction. Looking back at it, the group began to run for the opening. Other noises could be heard from the dark, little creatures made of various undead bits, and skeletons started making their way into the faint light. Running faster, the party knew that getting caught would mean the end.
"Even if we make it through the doors, those things will still be after us!" Exclaimed the Faerie.
The woman looked over at on of the statues, and had a thought. While she ran, she took one of the meteor stones out of her pouch. Whispering into it, it began to glow. She then extended her hand and still kept whispering. With one final motion of her fingers upon the stones surface, she started to pull a slender silver rod of of the stone. With every inch she pulled out the stone grew smaller. Finally she had what appeared to be a wand of some sort. Pointing it at one of the statues, she yelled "Alta Naur". A flash of white emitted from one of the statues arms, and a massive explosion came forth. As the party made it through the small gap, the massive stone arm fell behind them, somewhat blocking the entry point. She then turned around and pointed it at the upper part of the doorway. Yelling the same words, the flash came again followed by the explosion. Rubble began to fall upon the the entry, blocking it completely.
Viril sighed in relief, glad to have avoided that.
"We still need to keep going, there's no telling what will come after hearing that."
Viril turned to see that the woman was staggering. Running over to her, she started to collapse. He caught her before she hit the ground.
"Looks like I used.. t-to much mana.." She sputtered as she fainted.
Slinging her over his back, he placed her wand onto his belt.
Looking over at the faerie, and the man with the horse, he said "We need to go, continue on...
-Kirito
"That won't hold for long." Aral said urgently, just as the rubble shifted under the pounding of the Golems fists. "Dammit I hate it when I'm right!" He shouted in frustration.
"Then lets go! Now!" The left shouted back. They ran, sprinting down the long, twisting tunnels. They reached an intersection, just as they heard a deafening crunch, followed by the heavy sound of footsteps.
"Its here." The elvhen woman muttered. "The end of all things." They all stared down the tunnel to their left. They felt the air suck from their lungs, their very souls tugging on their bodies. In the distance they saw flame, and silhouetted by the fire was a women.
"Marfedelom" Viril murmured. "May the Gods help us."
-Tal(GA1)
*Omg yush yush yush Kirito is now my favorite contributor to this xD, and even though it was short it had enough weight (to me anyways) that it's all good.*
The party stood in awe, Viril most of all frozen in a cold sweat. The Faerie turned to both of the elves, looking upon their terror.
"Is this a joke? Marfedelom?" Turning to the wispy woman, and then back to Viril. "Why would a first knight be here?"
It was all a wash of white noise to Viril, standing there.. Staring into the abyss that was Obcasus' first knight. There were many things that he could think of that would put him into a dead stop such as this, Drakes, giants, and Mythril Living Armor... But this was an entirely different aspect of fear.. There were rumors that Marfedelom was the only Truly Immortal Knight out of all the firsts, even if she were to die.. Her lord would bring her rise indefinitely. Placing his hand upon Bolt-Bringer, he thought even if they were to run, she would surely catch them no matter the speed. They were in a tomb, a place of death, her domain. Looking over to the woman, and then to the faerie.. He thought that the best chances they had was for one of them to fight her off.
Viril felt a tug at his side, it was the woman. Pointing behind him, he could see the look of utter horror. Turning around he saw her.... Marfedelom was a mere 10 feet away. The entire party froze, as if by some spell, or just the sheer power of her aura. Viril couldn't even move his hand to unsheathe his blade. Turning his eyes to his other hand, he could see that the elven woman had grabbed onto it. He heard steps walking closer to him, as if the heel of her boots were stepping upon bones, even though there was only the hard dwarven stone. He strained to turn his head to face her.
Looking upon her, he clenched his teeth. She had an unprecedented air about her. Each breathe she took ended in a cold wisp of fog, and the flames that trailed in her wake seemed to drain the heat and light out of the surroundings. The white of her hair only matched that of her alabaster skin, which both contrasted her black armor.
As she walked closer, her eyes fell upon Viril, which in turn brought about a wry smile. Her head started to bob as it slowly turned toward the ground. A dull chuckle started to echo in the darkness. Lifting her head in elegant laughter, she started to walk around him.
"My oh my.. If it isn't the little lost woodling." She said while tracing her finger along his right pauldron.
Viril's brow started to furrow from her words.
"What ever are you doing down here... Irral Vaecaesintor Loex"
The faerie's eyes widened, he knew these words.
"What does she mean by First Elven Dead.."
Her face bore a big smile.
"Did he not say anything? My oh my Viril, you take up a party and leave out such a crucial detail."
She began to unbuckle his pauldron, and drew a jagged knife, to which she began to cut the leather jack at the back of his shoulder. Peeling back the leather and cloth below it, which was sticking to his skin unnaturally, it revealed a black brand.
"My oh my... Someone hasn't taken care of their gift." She said as she pressed her finger to the brand and pulled back as a strange black gloss covered her fingertip.
Viril looked down in frustration.
"Good sir Viril here was the first Elven Revanant to walk this world. A true marvel to behold."
The party all turned to Viril, with what he thought was either shock, or just pure confusion.
"I never asked for that role Marfedelom, all I wanted was to go peacefully to Guawysvern, but you and Obcasus ripped me from my family."
She smirked, leaning in near his face.
"Well to each his own I suppose."
Standing prostrate, she walked back to the Elvhen woman, and leaned in close to her.
"My oh my.. Who might you be? A practicer of magic, but no source? You would make quite the nice Revanant you know.."
Clasping her hand tighter, he could feel that a ring on his hand could be taken off by her. Looking at her, and then back at his ring, he tried to get her to remove it. It took a few glances back and forth, but she soon got the message. Wiggling her fingers, she attempted to pull his ring off. Slowly but surely it slipped past his knuckles, and then eventually came upon his finger tip.
The more the ring came off, the more he could hear it. The static of madness. It was a steep price to pay, but it would ensure that her aura would have to contend with another of equal value. Closing his eyes, he started to mutter to himself over and over...
.
.
Ţ̝̱͎̻́̇̿͂͑h̸̻͈̳̝̞͍̫̫̊̐̆̇͒͌́̔̊e̬͔̤̞̗̪̺͑̊̇͋͋̓̌ V̵̞̺̝̞̠̻͛͊̽̉̽̑͗͑̎o̶̯̲̻͔̲͖̝̤̫̲͊͑̇̃̉i̢̠̱̱̦͎̝̹̺͚͆̆̋͗͊̾̚̕̚ċ̴̡̙̪͕̤̮̯͔͙̠̀͂͋̈́͠e̶̢̨̧̡͙͚͍̤̦͛͛̏̔͘̚s̤͈̭̻͙͂̈́̾̄̓̏̒̄ D̴̤̥̗̻̺̊́̆̽͠ͅe̴̢̛̛̞͙̞̬̎̔͐͛͗͢͞m̶̗͉̬̮̉̽̆̊͐̄̒̅͒̕͟a̴̘̠̱̺͇̲̟̫̐͗͑̒̏͡ń̸̩̭̯̼̰̙̹́͂̏̅̕͜͜͜d̩̘͈̯̲̾̓͆̍̏̆͐̇͐ ţ̴̛̱̗͚̥̳́̊͜͡͡o̡̩̣̠̭̲̪̒̽̔̒̓͝ b̶̫̣͎͎̻̖͔̤̻̅̃̓͋͆͆̐̐͟͠ę̸̢̧̼͎̟͔̘͙̎̃̋̆̀̄̀͘͢ h̺͖̳͇̲̜̭̜̃̓̈̊̔̆ę̵̳̖̟̩̭͕̝̝̀̃̐͂͆͊̄͒̊̾ạ̴̹͚̯͖̒̀̽̾̀͟͢ͅŗ̻͎̲̰̤̔̆͗͑͂̾̒͢ḑ̸̳̘͉̙̘̜̹̀̎͋͊̕ͅ
.
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Everyone turned to him, he was ranting the same thing over and over.
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Ţ̝̱͎̻́̇̿͂͑h̸̻͈̳̝̞͍̫̫̊̐̆̇͒͌́̔̊e̬͔̤̞̗̪̺͑̊̇͋͋̓̌ V̵̞̺̝̞̠̻͛͊̽̉̽̑͗͑̎o̶̯̲̻͔̲͖̝̤̫̲͊͑̇̃̉i̢̠̱̱̦͎̝̹̺͚͆̆̋͗͊̾̚̕̚ċ̴̡̙̪͕̤̮̯͔͙̠̀͂͋̈́͠e̶̢̨̧̡͙͚͍̤̦͛͛̏̔͘̚s̤͈̭̻͙͂̈́̾̄̓̏̒̄ D̴̤̥̗̻̺̊́̆̽͠ͅe̴̢̛̛̞͙̞̬̎̔͐͛͗͢͞m̶̗͉̬̮̉̽̆̊͐̄̒̅͒̕͟a̴̘̠̱̺͇̲̟̫̐͗͑̒̏͡ń̸̩̭̯̼̰̙̹́͂̏̅̕͜͜͜d̩̘͈̯̲̾̓͆̍̏̆͐̇͐ ţ̴̛̱̗͚̥̳́̊͜͡͡o̡̩̣̠̭̲̪̒̽̔̒̓͝ b̶̫̣͎͎̻̖͔̤̻̅̃̓͋͆͆̐̐͟͠ę̸̢̧̼͎̟͔̘͙̎̃̋̆̀̄̀͘͢ h̺͖̳͇̲̜̭̜̃̓̈̊̔̆ę̵̳̖̟̩̭͕̝̝̀̃̐͂͆͊̄͒̊̾ạ̴̹͚̯͖̒̀̽̾̀͟͢ͅŗ̻͎̲̰̤̔̆͗͑͂̾̒͢ḑ̸̳̘͉̙̘̜̹̀̎͋͊̕ͅ
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No one knew what was happening, but everytime he said it, everyone could move a bit easier. The Revanant walked over to his face, and lifted it with her hand. Viril had a manic smile upon his face, to which he turned and looked her right in the eyes. It was no longer Viril looking through these eyes.
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A̸͈̳̣̩͚̽́́̈̎h̛̳̱̗̥̫͈̒͌̆͂͆̍̚͞͡,̭͉̱̬͖̘̒͌̓̌̌͂͞ M̛͔͙̞̠͈͔̣̹̂͑̋̎͌̍͘ą̷̟̼̳͉͕̾̈̆̎̾̉͐̒̕͡r͕̱̰̬̃̄̄̅̊̎̃̓ͅf̶̢̬̣͓̳̐͂̇̎͞ȩ̩͖̻̱̳̤͎̔̐̏̇̇͗d͕̟̯͔͕̅̀̇͑̔̀͜͞ḛ̳͈̣̩͗̈́͐̄̂̄ͅl̶̛̼̠̝̤̺͇̄̄̈́͒̂͘͘ȍ̶̯̖͙̥̩̝͔͗̀̊̓ṃ̧̡̜͎̞̤͕͇̎̇̽͋͡.̴̭̬̠̦̠̟̀̎̋͝͝.̢͙͔̼̫̦̪̩̼̎͌̅͊͌͜͞͡.̢̢̥̪̞̥̱̙̓̓̉͌̆̓͠ S̢͔̦̖̣͍̤̺͉̔̓̑̒̇͑́̓͢ţ̶̺̤͎͖̒̆̇͋͠i̢̢͇̩̳̣̣͉͑͋̅̓̚͡ͅl̮̦̥̗͓̣͛̏̒̐̕͜͝l̙̦̙͚̗̻̎̔̓̓̓̓̾̚͞ å̷̛͙͍̟͙̮̓͗̚̚ş̞̮͔̞̮̟̙͕͌̎̈́̐͞ p̶̧̟̲̤͇̬̝͆̐̎̇̾̆͘͟͜͝ą̷̙̼͔̖̒̄͒͋̏͋͠l̵̝̙̝̬̦͐͊̿̾̈́̐̈̕͜e̶̠̺̪͇̝̬͕͐̿̈́́͐͜͟ ȧ̧̧͔͉͙̞͍͑͋̃̋͘̚͘͠s̨̟̹̮̞͕͎̿̃̅̋͆̋̀̄͌͟͜ t̢̨͕̦̿̌͑͒̋̄͢͡ḩ̨̺̣̘͖̻́͗͋́͂͝͞ͅè̵̢̧̦͉̺̺̩́̀̈͊͛͐̏́ w̴̪͔̘͙̙̒̀̃̂̆̚ͅḩ̝͓̮͇̝͔͑͛̔̊̌͛͒ͅͅi͈̖̗͓̬̲͕̼͉̿͗̈̈́̂͘͡t̵͇͎̹͔͕̅̀͆́́̍̌͠e̫̖͕̲̞͎̭̟̰̳̐̓͒̓͊̽͛̀̕ ş̨̙͔̩̲̩͆̌̇̈̒n̡̨̝̦͖̳̺̻̩̬͑̀͗̄̚͝o̸̧̡͙͖͙̳̩̦͍̼̽̿͑̓̐́͛̂̈͊ẅ̸̖̻̝̭͉͙̙͚̙́͋͆̽̎͊̕͜͠͝ I̧̻̼̭̻̹̭̳͛͐͌̇͌̒̕ s̨͖̝̭͚͒̄̌̽͟͡ę̴̛̹̥͍͕͇́̄̃̽͗͌͆̚e̴͖̮̜͓̳̎̀̃͗̐̚͡.̷̼̱͍̦̺̹̩͛͑͒̄̑̏͐ͅ
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She stepped back, Viril's voice resounded with what seemed to be two voices. She had heard the other voice before...
"What sway have you over this one... First knight of Labes.."
Viril smiled even bigger, almost ripping his cheeks doing so.
"This one has touched my blade, and heard My Lord.. If not for that damned ring, he would be my new vessel. Think of it, a mad Revanant. All of that magic power stored in a body that would never die of magic overuse. Beautiful"
Smacking Viril, she grabbed his face.
"Over my dead body would I let a loony like you into such one of the holy Revanants."
Rolling his eyes up, he chuckled "Well you are dead my dear."
She threw him back against a pillar. The whole time his laughing echoing through the halls. Standing limp, he slowly pulled out his sword. He then held it behind him, and grinned a foul smile.
B͓y̻̰͙̮̼͡ ͎̖t̝̥͕̮̜͜h̪̬̻̻̮͇͝é̫ͅ ̡̳͎̟̰̰͈̪b̳̼͎o̹̦͓̜̪͠l̴͚t̶̰̠̖̖̳͈ ̶̘o̙̬̹̩̳͎̰f̴ ҉̝̦̹͔ͅḿ̲͎̰̘̮̖y ̸̘͎̭̠b͕̦͓̠̣̼̲̀l̛̲̻ad͉͈e͚̺͓͎͎̫,͔̖͓̕ͅ ̜̜̮̜I͔͞ ̴̟͔͕̗̦ha̳̯̮v͈̠͇͚͔ͅe̤̠̣̻ ̥̼̖̤̯͖ͅb̛͎̠͚͇̳e͔̣̹̥̳͉c̫̖̜̩̦o̗̘̘̼͡m̴̦̳̗̜e̟͖̺͇̯͜ͅ ̙̥̰̘̘̀m̶̪y̶ o̡͖͓̟̲w̖̫̭̯ͅn̞͜ ̲s̪̭̗͇i̼͇n̘̯̹̞̤̣̬,̱͘ ̖̺͞Ma̞d̟̼̤̬͍͎͝n̩͙̳̖͕̙͜e͘s̩͙͘s̮̻͚̺̲͠ ̰̱̼̰h̨a̖̟͇͓s̞̮̼̻̫̙̰ ̛c͖͈͔̼̘̟̞o҉͖̳̬͕̘͉m̴͎̙̟̫͇e̺̞͇̻,̷̪ ̱͍͇̲̠̞͟A̷̳̯̯r̖̘̣r̺̯͍͍͙n̺̗̭͠a̶̩̼̪͕̩ ̤̭͉͕̼̱͍͢B̭̬̬r͏̜̻̻̳̮i̘en̻͎̪ ̩̭̳ͅb̝͚̜͓̱̬̘ri̬̖̱̰̖n̝̣͙̹̜͙g̷̘͍̥͚̗͎̼s͏͈͎̻̰̗̭ ̴̠̝̥̬t͏̲̙̣h̜y ̹̟̟̗̭̲e͉n͎̮̥d.̼̦̠̲͓͕̖
The sword hung in the air, locked by some force. Viril began to pull the hilt, popping it free of the blade. His smile turned into a pained look.
"RUN, I no longer control myself.. You must run!" He yelled with panic in his voice.
The Party stood in confusion, and watched as two First Knights were about to fight...
*So here's the dealio. Viril was intitially supposed to be a unique revanant, but when I gave him Bolt-bringer (way way back) I forgot and made lore that Bolt-Bringer was Albgast Vulpes' (Labes first knight) so I adapted it to be canonical. Think of it as my D&D Wild card that really doesn't work in my favor.*
-Kirito
*hey vulpes, can you change all of Virils speech in this to those cool symbol things? Thanks *
"You heard him, let's go." Shouted Aral, already moving for the other tunnel. The man with the horse followed instantly, grabbing the elvhens arm as he did so. She struggled for a second, looking back at a crazed Viril, cackling away as he dodged around Marfeldoms attack. Then she allowed herself to be pulled away.
"How fast can you fly, Faerie?" The man asked, looking down as they ran. Aral looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Good enough." The man swung himself and the woman into the horse in one fluid motion, before pushing the horse to go faster. Aral took a deep breath, before taking to the air, moving faster than before. Soon he'd caught up with the horse rider.
"Y'know, sooner or later, we're gonna have to deal with a crazy Viril. What do we do then?" Aral looked down.
"We fight to kill." The man looked straight ahead.
"Hey, that's the kinda thing I'm supposed to say." Aral pouted.
"You can't kill Viril yet." The elvhen women spoke, looking at her hands.
"And why not? He's not in control of himself, some other force is inhabiting his body." Aral pointed out as they shot through the tunnel.
"The gods have greater plans for him. He HAS to survive." She glared at him. "You can NOT kill him." Her eyes flared with fire.
"Fine. But we need to get rid of Labes's creation."
"Any ideas, little man?" The man asked. Aral turned and flew right into his face.
"Listen here. Firstly, I am not a 'little man'. I am a faerie. Completely different. And it would do you good to remember it. And secondly, mayhap I do have a plan. But it's dangerous."
"And what would it be? If I can ask?" The man glared at him.
"It's dangerous." The man pulled up his horse, jumping to the ground as Aral lightly touched down.
"Very well. It's inevitable that he'll attack us, and sooner rather than later. Remember that brand Marfeldom showed us? That might be what's causing this chaos. If we can just break it..."
"And how do you break a brand?"
"A sword slash through the middle might work. The brand would be split, and scar tissue would stop it reconnecting."
"How do you intend to get behind him? He'll see you for sure." He sneered.
"You forget one thing." Aral smiled.
"And what would that be?" Aral grinned.
"I can fly."
"So what do you need?" He asked.
"Distract. Keep his attention away from me. I'll get behind him and slash the brand. Hopefully that'll work." He bit his lip.
"What about me? Anything I can do?" The elvhen asked quietly. Aral glared at her, before spitting at her feet.
"You've done enough."
There was a cackling from behind them in the darkness.
"Uh-oh." The man with the horse muttered.
"Oh hello there." Viril grinned at them maniacally. "Did you really, REALLY, think you could escape me?" He laughed, before becoming dead serious. "You don't stand a chance." He pulled up his bolt thrower, taking aim.
"Go!" Aral shouted to the man, who flipped himself onto his horse and galloped towards him, cloak flowing out behind him. As he rode past, he swung with his sword. Viril met it with his thrower, rotating to face the man as he pulled the horse around for another pass. He swung again, making Viril duck whilst he grinned. Then Viril attacked, running towards the man on the horse. Sensing his opportunity, Aral leapt into the air, flying over Virils head before dropping down. As he fell he raised his sword, slashing the blade down through the brand...
-Tal(GA1)
*Luls close to the source, but far from the god. and it's Bolt Bringer (a sword) lololol*
Viril's crazed eyes shot towards the sword currently in his shoulder. The Faerie sat there using all his might to keep the blade in place, waiting for something, anything to change Viril's demeanor. Moments went by, and nothing happened. There was then a massive cackle throughout the darkness.
H̞̘̥a̞̗̮̮ ̀H͇̗̤̻̪̲̙̀a̢̼͎̠ ͚͚̖̺̮H̝͖͍͙͔̬́a̹͖̪.̵̙͔͉̙̲͈̠.̸̲͔̝͓̼͉̘.̖̤̬͉ ͖͈L̨̲̬̮̬͔̖ͅị̡ṱ̙t̬̠͎̤̫͉l̻̲̙͓e҉͚ͅ ͈͙͈̮͓̟ͅF̻͍a̠̲̭͇͉̯͙͜ḛ̸̼͈̹̮̗r̰̹̟̞͝i̭̪e͙,͎̦̘̲ ̤̯̳̙o͝h h̼͎͔͖͍̦ow̻̗̩͜ ̖̬̠̩f̘̣͔̲a̮̠̫r̯͍̩̠̪͉ ̙͎͍̯̣̪ỳơ͍̣u͇ ͍̰a͏̥̱r̼̝͉̼e͚̤ ̠͓̭̠ͅf̦̱r̴̼̥͈̝͙o̻̭͍̭m̢̪̤ ̛̗m̬e̥͕̭̻̟̹͟.͖͍͈
Viril swung his sword, shaking the faerie off. The party jumped back, only to see the skin where the brand was reform.
T̹h͉͉͞i̤s͙͔͓ͅ ̹b̭̗̳͍̦̪͝r̷a̪̙̟̦n̤̯͉̠̹ḓ͖͞ ̺̻͈͚̙̫̕ͅi͔͍̥̥̯͜s̸̼̪ ͘o͍͍͕̠̹f̹̭͇̼̜̖ ̲̝̪̜̮͜O͎b̨̪̼͔̻̗͖ć̮͔͍̮̘̩a̩̞͇͈͈s͙̱̙͢ṳ̪̬͔s̯.̥͉̻͖ͅ ͏̯̮͎̦̖͓A͏̭̤͉͙ͅͅl̸͕̟ͅļ͕̟̭̣̭ ̮͖y̩̻̳o̯̠͞u͚̝͢ w̙͉͇͓̰͙̥o̦̠ųl̘d͎̰͔̺͕̞̝͠ ͏͎̱̞ẖ̟͕̞̖̞a̜̺̠̦̖v̸̪̠̠e̦͎̣ ͈̼̙͍̻ͅa͙̩̖̫͡c̠h̝̫̗̦̳͠ḭ̵͓̦͔̺̖̘ȩ͔ve̖̻̳d̦̤̞̠̖̩ ͏̗̹i͍̦̞͔͚̻̫s̯̘ ̛͈͍th̶͖̹̫̙i͏̟͓̣͇̲̝s ͙̦E̠͟l̷̼̲̙͇̞ͅf̛̪̪̻̜ͅ'̝́s̪̥͉ ̝̥̪̳͔̝̺d͙̖̙̹e͈͕͚̮̩͕̰͠a͔t̴h̟̩͟.̛̦̪̗.̯̗̙.̴
Raising his sword up, he uttered an unknown set of words before swinging it down, causing a massive gouge in the rock before him.
K̻͚̝͎̹n͎͖̺͠o̮͖͓͈̩̱w͍͇̦̝̦ ̫̮͓͔̰y̨̤͖̦̪̼̞̖o̢u̼͓ ̙n̮̼̗͍͚o҉̜̤̬t̜̬͖̯̟͇͓ ͉͈̥͎̩͙t̳̠̖̀h̥̤͘e̞̰͕̪̗ ̧̖͙ͅl̳̘̖͇̤͍̖e͚̟̱̹͎̯͠g͙̜̰e̠͙̩n͔̞̪d̯͇̝̬̹̟s̭̖͈̞͓̕?̹̩̻̙̟͚ͅ
T̜̼̦h̯͈̰̭̬o̵̖s̝̳̤͕̰̘̪͟e̩͎̗̫͉̣ ͇̹̖w̲̟͕̬h͉̟̠̀o̷̲̦ ̹̮͙̝̲t̮o̳͓̺̲u̶̩̗ͅc̦̱̤͠h̖̯̜̗͚͖͢ ҉̱̩̼t̸̫̼̥̱̞̟ͅh̺e̮̩̣̥͎͙ ̲̱̲̹̘b̵͎͓̭̲l̛̪ạ̜̰̺̀ḍ̪́e̫̙̪͠ ̖̖̮͍̘g̣̭o҉̩͎̞̤͕̮̲ ͙̟̘̠̠̦m̖̗͖̲a͓̳͔̥̯̮̰d̪̺,͚͔͇ ͚̣̗a͇̯̬ͅn̫̩̥͕͎d͏ͅ ̧̖̱̲̜͇ͅt̥͍͓͓h̛̩͕͎̱͈e͎ ̢̟̗̳͉̜̜̼vo͚͡i͚͍̦c̠͓̮͇̖e̘͓̩͚̜s̥͔̦̻̲̩ ̥̖̳̪͡r̘̯͚e̖͕̜̲̪i̕g҉͕̰̖͈͚ͅn͉ s̸̙̭̣u͉̖̙̻͕̪͖p͇͓̦̯̻r͙̭e̙̱̩̣m͎̺͝e ó̲̼̠v̶̼̺̟̝̘͕̼e̟r͓̘̹̗͖̤ ͇̮̬͚̯͙̀t̡̩̹h̬e̞͢i͟r̮̪̣͇̹ ̢̝͎̲̲m̢͍i̮̦͇̳̻͔͡nd̡̺̜̹ ̯͈̼̰͎̪f̮̟̩̗o̰r҉̫̲̗͎̮e̪̮̩͜v͇e͏̭r̙̖͔.̴̪̟̞̞
Violent laughing came about, shaking the pillars above and below. Then as the laughter fell, Viril went limp. A small metallic clinking could be heard near where Viril went mad. The ring that had been removed started to wiggle and bounce towards him. His arm unnaturally lifted in its direction.
W̩̮̪ͅh̢̜̩a̯̻͖̝̰̤͠t́?̠̩̣͈͔̺̰ ̖͇͇̲̘̙Y͏̰ơ͎u̧̼̝̭͙̼̞ ̱̪̙̟̠̯s̶̻̤͖͖̺ti͜l̤͞ḽͅͅ ͜f̧̝̲͇͍͎̳̤i̯̮̙̗̝̘͎ǵ̳̺͉͇ͅḩ͔t̰̱ ̞͜m̷̫̹͕̞̗͔e͍͖̺̭̠̦͎?̯̙͉̟
A pained look came across his face, and in a normal voice he said.
"Your purpose was used, now you can go back"
The ring flew onto his finger, and as it slowly slid back on, the Mad voice uttered its final words...
T̨̹̦̩̥̲͕̹h̨͚̟̳i͖̠̦͇͍̝͡s̮͙̪̟̞͔̣ ̗̠͈͙̰̰i̮̘̖͉̺̝s̸̼̩͍̯͉̝̙ ͔͝ͅn͈̟̦͟o̠̘͍ͅt̘͡ ̰͉t̞͔́h̦̘̹e ͎̜͔̪̺e̤̮̰͉̼̹̻nd҉͔̯̖͚,̸̖ yo̙̠̫̮ù̯̖̫̺͙ ̤͓wi͝l̖͓͍͈̬͠l̶̼͓̹ ̭̗͚̰̗̬̝́s҉͍̩̖ą̼̫̥̫y̡ ̶̲t̪h̫̳̭̫͉e͏͔̝ ͇̭̱͔̤͚͈̕ẉ̧̜̰̩o̹͇͉r͕̬͔̕d̤͖̫͉s̵̯̼̤̼ ҉͔̰tó͚̹ ̱̦̱͘s̵̰̟͍e̞ṭ̴͓ m҉e̮̖̤͠ ̦̩̲f̫͕͘r̥͍̤̥̩͍͞e̟̻̬͝e̸̘̲̖̞̬̟̗.̙͙̩͚̪̦̕.̙̘̤͎͘ ̳̖̲T͙̩̻̣̻H͟E̘̟̤͢ ̨̣͇͎̗V̛̙͉̦̯̝O͕̰̯͚͕̼͟I̟C̝̤̟̭̹Ḙ̦̣̳̻͎̠S͙ ͙̫̬D̜̩̖̼̘̮E͖̝̬̞͠M̮͍̲͎͔ͅA̝͇͢N̡̲D̴̥̞͎ ̥̥̮̣̩̀TO̶̙͖̞̥ ̖̫̟̻̬̳B̤̪͙͖̼̗͠E͇̪̮͔̺͜ ̨̲H͚͉̪͝E̝̞̪̦̼͞ͅAR̗̣D̦̜!̧!̭̬!̗̟͇̱̣̖
When the ring finally slipped all the way back on, Viril collapsed. All Traces of the strange aura were gone. Bolt Bringers hilt lifted into the air, and reconnected with the blade, as if sheathing some invisible blade, and then fell with a solid metallic sound. Weakly, Viril grabbed the blade and used it to prop himself up, looking around he saw no trace of Marfeldom, but when he looked upon the rest of the party.. All he saw was unease about their faces.
"He's weak now, couldn't we subdue him without any trouble?" Asked the man with the horse.
Drawing the blade from his saddle, he started to walk over to Viril, but was met by the woman.
"Don't you dare touch him. That was not of his own will."
The man became angry, and spat out "And that puts you at ease?! How do we know he won't snap again?!"....
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex and Jhalla had been working their way through Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj for what seemed like forever and for once the two had not spent their time arguing against one another. It seems that, at least for the time, the two had come to a mutual agreement that both were needed if they where to find the rest of the party and survive. The last few hours had seem Alex and Jhalla moving through ruin streets fight off all manners of undead. Fallen dwarfs, humans, dog, goblins, and from time to time giant troll like creatures.
Alex and Jhalla teamwork was getting better and ironically they seemed to work well together, Jhalla swordplay was heavy with long deep slashes and thrusts. Alex on the other had was quicker with a surprising amount of bite to his sword attacks that made quick work of enemies caught between Jhalla strikes. Alex had never fought so well before, all his muscles felt cold and loaded like springs. Alex found that his reflexes had nearly doubled. As strange as it was he could feel this power running through him ever since he killed the drake. The power hummed just under the surface, ready to be called on at anytime. Alex did not really understand it yet, but he was sure the power had come from the angel pendent.
Jhalla stopped near a ruined well and said, "let rest here for a few minutes. This well is surrounded by some runes of repelling, warding, and healing." Alex nodded and took a seat on some ruin blocks and then patted the stone block in front of him. "let me have a look at that wound on your back, i may need to add another rune. Jhalla started at Alex for a second, then surprisingly agreed, He sat on the stone block in from of Alex and removed a portion of his back armor to allow Alex look at the wound he had gotten from the drake. Alex shook his head and said, " It looking better then i thought, but you have opened it back up near the top. Just give me a sec and i will reseal it. Alex pulled out his dagger and whispered, "Sana Vi" Again the blade lit up with green glowing runes down the blade. Alex quickly and carefully cut right over the reopened wound. There was a flash of green, then the runes took hold and the wound started to close.
"How does it feel?" Alex asked Jhalla. "it feels like some one running a piece of ice my back, and then my back gets itchy as hell." Jhalla said as he reached to scratch the itch on his back. Jhalla replaced his armor on his back and nodded his thanks. Then he turned to Alex and said, " your swordplay is getting better with every fight we get into, just what happen to you after the drake kicked me to sleep?" Alex shook his head with a shy grin. He had not come to terms with all of it yet. It was true he felt different from since his fight with the drake, but he felt that somehow he was still incomplete.
Alex looked up to answer Jhalla when there came the sound of a large explosion from somewhere up ahead followed by the sound of very loud crashes. Jhalla and Alex both spring to their feet. "I bet my last gold coin that was one of ours" Alex said. Jhalla nodded, and said, " Lets hurry that was not too far ahead." Both Alex and Jhalla take off after the sounds of choas
_Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Jhalla cut the small dwarf skeleton in half with one quick motion of his blade. Alex was just ahead finishing off another one, that burst into flames. Great, just great. Now the kid can make runes that blow things up thought Jhalla. Alex's combat skills and prowls had never been this good. Jhalla did not know what happen after the drake had knocked him out, but something had awoken in Alex. Something very powerful and dangerous Jhalla feared. "Jhalla look here!" Alex shouted. Alex was standing near the edge of a ruin wall that over looked a passage way below. As Jhalla peered down he could see what looked to be a large statue set set to a massive door, with one side in ruins. Crawling all over the rubble were many undead creatures.
As Jhalla followed the path with his eyes he say a blue hue of light moving away from the creatures. "look there Alex, that has to be them! The blue light moving down the passage" Jhalla pointed to it. Alex nodded and said, "I think you are right, lets hurry" Just as they turned to hurry down their own tunnel Alex grabbed Jhalla shoulder, "wait, the light stopped" Jhalla looked again and saw Alex was right. "that can't be good" said Jhalla. As they watch the now still blue light, they could hear what sounded light laughter. Mad crazed laughter.
"Lets hurry" Alex said again. They head off down then nearest tunnel. As they ran, the made quick work of any thing unlucky to get in their way." Every so often came the sound of mad laughter, and the clash of blades. As they turned a corner the came across a large opening with stairs leading down further into the city, and closer to their goal. "Looks clear, let head for the stairs" Jhalla said as he moved toward the stairs. Alex and Jhalla begin making their way down the stairs. just as the cleared the 4th landing they heard the sound of swords clashing close by. Alex and Jhalla double their pace. Just as they clear another 3 landing they stairs in front of them exploded in a shower of debris.
"Damn that Man! Trying to take over my Revanant." Said the figure that came out of the debris. As she brushed the dusted off of herself, Alex took note of her. She was tall, with elvish features. She wear a black corset armor, with a uplifted spiked collar and a battle skirt that fall just below here knees. In her hand that was not getting the dust off of here she held what looked like a butterfly knife. On her side Alex could see another one in its sheath. She turned to them, as if finally noticing they where there. As she did Alex saw outlined in black on the right breast was the sign of Obcasus. Her skins was pale, almost pure white. Here eyes were black save for the red ring of here pupils. The air itself grew darker and heavier.
"and what have we here?" the woman wonder aloud. "more little rats in my playhouse i see. And ones that have been killing off my sweet toys" she said as she looked at their blooded soaked swords. Alex and Jhalla raised their swords. "oh you sweet little fools, you think you have a chance against me?" she throw here head back in laughter. "i guess i will play with you a bit before i go and find Viril"
Alex and Jhalla glanced at each other, that means the sounds they hear earlier was Viril and her fighting. That meant that Viril and the others were close. Alex and Jhalla nodded to each other and ready themselves, they know that the viper was about to strike.
-Thomas
Thinking to himself, we can't hope to beat him if he becomes possessed again the deed must be done to keep us safe. I don't know how the women will react though, I can probably hold her off with my blade but I can't stop any magic attacks. Looking at the faces around him he saw their unease but little support for the deed. It was pretty clear he would face a powerful magic user now by himself or hope not to face a powerful possessed magic user later with some allies at his back. Fletcher's rage subsided some but not the fear that had fueled the rage nor his unease. He let out his breath and sheathed his sword, "A wise decision" the women said "Don't think of trying to hurt him again though or you will regret it."
Fletcher left the circle to check on Charger and as he inspected their equipment he realized something. I'm of out place, I'm among magic users who understand what they are facing and cant fight against it. I'm at a clear disadvantage here. Perhaps it would be in my best interest to leave as he could feel the eyes of several in the party watching him and knew he would have to make his decision soon. He also knew that as a member of the Blue Guard he couldn't leave, his duty was to fight whatever evil was involved to the end, but his fear continued to gnaw at him. A memory came back to him from when he swore his oath to the guard, The Grandmaster had to him "To forsake your duty is to forsake the order, your honor, and your life. Take now your cloak and fight evil wherever you may find it or never seek to return to these halls."
He steeled himself, "Come Charger let's see what await us now." So saying he walked back into the circle with Charge in tow ready to handle whatever fate awaited them.
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex gripped his sword with both hands then took a breath to steady himself. As he did so, he did not take his eye off of the woman in front of him and Jhalla. This woman was unnerving is all types of ways. She had not even launch an attack yet, but Alex knew that she was skilled beyond words. Alex noticed Jhalla take a step forward, his eyes too locked on the woman.
Jhalla stared at the woman that had come out of literally nowhere. Since she had shown up it has as if he could not caught his breath. The blood in his veins screams for him to run away. His body felt heavy, and his mouth felt suddenly dry. However when Jhalla glanced over at Alex, he seemed unaffected. Jhalla shook his head and took a step forward, raising his sword to strike. Look at me, losing my cool and the kid is calm as water in winter Jhalla had had enough, he was done waiting. Jhalla grabbed one of his long Aavikko dagger in his off hand and keep it hidden under his cloak.
Jhalla rushed the woman striking first with his long sword, aiming low for her feet while in the same motion, bring his dagger up, toward her neck. The woman had seen it coming, she avoided the long sword by simply jumping out of the way, leaving Jhalla dagger cutting air. The woman laugh and counter Jhalla with her Butterfly knife. She brought it up in a fast uppercut motion. Jhalla brought his dagger up just it time to caught the blade and defect it away from his own neck. The force from the attack push Jhalla back nearly 3 feet and down to one knee.
The woman did not give Jhalla time to recover. She jumped into the air, with no effort at all, bring her blade straight down, aiming for Jhalla chest. Jhalla barely manage to roll out of the way before her blade crashed into the stone block where Jhalla had just been. The stone block was little more than dust. She smiled, "Come now little Aasmir, surely you can do better than that." Jhalla look of surprise only made the woman break out into more madden laughter. "oh, did you think that I did not know of your kind?" she said with a wicked smile on her face. "well it matter not, i think our little playtime is over" she charged at Jhalla, blade aiming straight for his chest once more.
The sound of metal on metal resounded on the stones. Alex caught the attack with ease. The woman was throw back from the force of the collision. She look up to see the the elvish boy standing between her and the Aasmir. “What have we here, it seems you have some fight in you as well little elf.” she smiled, “maybe this will be more fun than i thought.” Alex reached down to help Jhalla stand, “we do this together” Jhalla nodded and grabbed Alex's hand. The moment he did, Jhalla felt as if a weight had been lifted off his chest, he could breathe normally again.
Alex and Jhalla face the woman, and without any more words the moved as one against her. Jhalla brought a fury of strikes with his sword and his dagger, with Alex quick to follow up with any opening he could find. Alex cast rune after rune into his blade. As each of him his attack connected he felt them grow stronger and stronger. The woman stagger back under the onslaught of attacks. She jumped back, doing a complete flip, before landing on the second story of a ruin building near the edge of the 9th landing of stairs. She did not seem winded at all. She have them a wicked grin, “ I must admit, you two have some skill to push me back like this. But” she reached for her second Butterfly knife and pulled it out of her sheath. “ It time for round two boy” She close her eye and began to chant, “Obcasus, Lord of Summa, Grant your servant the power to bring my enemies to their eternal Sleep” She drove here 2 knifes into her chest
The ground shook violently, then woman screamed as she was engulf in black flames. The woman stepped out of the flames, in black Full-plate armor that fitted her tightly and covered her head to toe. The armor has covered in white runes that seemed to move. Her knifes had become full swords, cover in green runes the hissed and popped. “I hope you boys are ready, i afraid i do not know the meaning of gentle” She jumped from the ledge toward Alex and Jhalla.
Jhalla and Alex jump out as the way as her two blades struck the stones where they had been. The moment the swords touched the stones, they begin hiss and melt away as if hot lava had been poured on then. When the woman stood up, the swords let little green droplets fall from there tips that hit the stones with a hiss. “Acid” Jhalla whispered aloud. Alex looked down at his blade, as he did, new words formed in his mind. He spoke them into it, “Protege Gladium Meum!” The blade formed a greenish rune that sparked with new formed power. Alex grabbed Jhalla sword and whispered into his blade the same runes he had just add to his. Jhalla’s show blade to sparked to life.
“What did you just do?” Jhalla asked, “I not 100% sure, but that should protect your blade from her acid.” Alex replied. “When did you learn to do that?” Jhalla asked. Alex smiled, “just know” Jhalla shook his head in disbelief, well lets see if it works. Alex and Jhalla gripped their swords once again and attacked the woman. The struggle was one sided. The woman easily held the Elf and Aasmir off. Jhalla was breathing heavy again, and so was Alex this time. “ the woman removed her helmet, that seems to just vanish in the thin air, and peered down at them. “What's the matter my little dears? All out of steam already? That was barely a warm up” Jhalla looked down at his sword, the runes on it was starting to fade, a few more hits and……
“Hey kid, i got a idea” Jhalla whispered to Alex.”I need you to buy me a few seconds, i am going to try something i have not done in a few years” Alex nodded and said, I will buy you a few seconds.” Alex reached over his shoulder and drew his second long sword. The woman raise her eyebrow. “Going to try to fight me one on one? Very brave little one” Alex Grinned back, “ to be honest i have never tried this before, you are the first i am trying this on.” The woman smiled wickedly.
Alex gripped his two sword in each hand and begin to pour all his remaining magical power into them, “ Protege Gladium Meum, Ignis Evanuit, Gelu Fortis!” The two swords erupted to life. “I am not done” Alex said breathing heavily, “Sanctum Gelu Lamina!” The blades took the rune that had allowed Alex to slay the drake. The blades shook with the very force of the runes.
The woman looked at the young elf in front of her, and at the runes on his swords. Even she should not take those directly. But before she had a chance to react, Alex sprung from his position and drove the first blade into her chest piece. Where did this speed come from? The woman wondered. Her armor become to feel ice cold, she looked down and saw a pale blue flame emerge from the cracks in her armor. Her rune were working at full speed to keep the flames from spreading any further. These flames carry holy energy, but how does this little one have. She looked again to the young elf, he was already moving for the second strike. Had she not been in her first knight armor she would not be able to keep up with his speed.
Alex slashed and hacked for all his worth. He could not believe he was able to channel the rune that helped him kill the drake. The woman was on the ropes, she was barely able to block his attacks. He thought to himself, I can win this! Then just as alex was about to deliver his next attack, he felt all his rune close their power, and Alex fell back on the ground exhausted from using all of his magic reserves.
The woman stood above the elvish boy, she was pissed. She was just starting to have a really challenge when the boy just stopped moving. She move her blade to just above the boy's chest, “any last words?” Alex laugh loudly and said, “I think you're forgetting something” The woman looked at the boy in confusion, then she remembered. Where was the Aasmir?
“Raven’s Embrace” Jhalla said as his blade come through the woman's chest. The woman turned her neck to look at the Aasmir is disgust. Jhalla twisted the blade, and then brought his dagger in a quick ark and removed the woman's head. The woman body hit the ground with a sickening thud. “What took you so long” Alex said grinning up at Jhalla, “sorry it has been a long time since i have had to use any of my Aavikko talents” Jhalla said as he bent to help Alex up.
However, just as Jhalla grabbed Alex, a blade exploded through his stomach. Jhalla looked back in horror to see the woman body standing upright holding the blade in Jhalla. The body removed the sword, then kicked Jhalla with enough force to throw him into a pile of rubble. Jhalla did not move after he landed in the pile. The woman's body moved to where her head was, picked it up and then placed in back in place. Then came the sounds of bones snapping and breaking.
The woman turned back to Alex and smiled evilly.”what did you think that would kill me? I am First Knight of Obcasus, Marfedelom! I was old, when men built their first cities. Do you have any idea how many i have killed? How many have tried to take my head? Now like the rest of them, i will end you as well. But i must say it has been fun. OH and don’t worry once i am done with you i am going to find the rest of your friends and end them as well” She raised both of her blades above Alex and brought them down with frightening speed.
The room exploded with Blue light as Marfedelom was thrown backwards. “What the hell?” she hissed. There in the middle of light was the elf boy. He was clad in Pale blue Full-plate armor, similar to her’s. The boy landed lightly on his feet, and looked up at Marfedelom. He put his out on either side of his and willed his blades to come to him. His blade flew into his hands, and he stood to face Marfedelom. As he turned, Marfedelom saw the symbol on the boy's right shoulder armor. She stared at the boy in disbelief, “ NO, it cannot be! This one is a child of Chalybs? There has not been a first knight of Chalybs for 2, no 3 thousands years!” Alex raise his swords and spoke, “Hiems Herba” The blade took on a dark blue color as the runes formed down the blade. Then, faster than Marfedelom could react, Alex was in front of her. With one fluid motion he brought his sword down, Cutting Marfedelom Left arm off at the shoulder. Marfedelom moved back, almost looked to teleport to the other side of the room. Black blood oozed down her armor. “You will pay for that child” she spat at Alex. But before she could move a sword flew across the room and buried itself into the wall a few inches from her face.
Marfedelom Turned to see Viril and the rest of the party standing at the end of the steps. They must of heard the fighting and followed it. She looked down at herself, she knew even she could not fight two first knights in her current state. She moved with blinding speed grabbed her severed arm and then appeared on a tall building overlooking the party. “This is not over Child of Chalybs and knight of madness! I will let you go today, but mark my words i will be back to finish this!” and with that she was gone, disappearing into the shadows.
Viril turned to the knight in full-plate armor. “Alex? Can you hear me?” The knight turned to Viril and spoke, “Vi…….ri……...l, help……….Jh….Jh…...Jhal…..la” The armor simply disappeared from Alex, who fell forward into the arms of the elvish women who rush to him when she saw he was about to fall. Viril looked over to a nearby pile and say Jhalla laying there. He walked over and looked over his wounds. They were deep but not life threatening. Viril stood up and looked at the acidic filled battle ground. It had been one hell of a fight.
*OMG, its done. Sorry it took me so long, but i hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you guys thought of it*
-Kirito
Aral looked at Fletcher. There was a pained expression on his face. Viril and the elvhen women rushed towards Alex and Jhalla, already preparing spells of healing. Fletcher turned on the wall and punched it, his frustration showing clearly on his face.
"I have a feeling the wall didn't deserve that." Aral smirked.
"Shut it Faerie." The man snarled back.
"Hey hey, calm down." Aral raised his hands in mock defence.
"Anyway, why aren't you over there helping with the healing?" He asked, glaring in fury.
"Why? Because I'm not a spell caster. I don't have the first clue about how to use magic." The mans face softened slightly.
"So I'm not the only one." He whispered.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Aral asked.
"I thought I was alone, the only non-spellcaster in the group."
"Well, you aren't." He turned to the other four. "Are you about done over there? In case you haven't realised, we're still in Obascus' territory." They all looked over with flames in their eyes.
"Whose the child?" Alex murmured. Instantly, he was pinned against the wall with a sword to his throat.
"I am no child." Aral spat in his face. Suddenly he felt feet on his chest, kicking him away and across the room. He looked up just in time to roll out of the way of the descending blade. He ducked right, scooping up his sword. He parried Alex's next attack before pushing him backwards. He ducked and weaved, looking for an opportunity to strike. Alex jabbed, so he took a step back and burst into flight, leaping into the air. Alex looked up and growled.
"There's a reason your race should have been wiped out." He roared in rage.
"Greater beings than filthy half-breeds have tried. They have failed." Aral shouted back as he descended, sweeping his blade down at Alex's undefended head. Just as he was about to strike, he felt a mystical force hold him in place. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the elvhen woman holding them both in place. He felt himself move and then drop to the ground. Everyone stared at him. He sheathed his sword and made his way back to the steps, were Fletcher stood with a slight smile on his face.
"Not bad Faerie. You nearly had him."
Aral spat on the floor.
"Bloody spell casters."
*he he he party divisions are becoming clear. I wonder where Viril and Jhalla will eventually end up *
-Tal(GA1)
*I like these, these are good. Yush yush.*
Viril was in a haze, his mind foggy. He was trying to focus on healing Jhalla, but the words for the magic were scrambled in his mind. Opting that he was no help he found a rock to sit upon. Looking around at all the people fighting, he thought that this is what Vulpes wanted, utter chaos.
Gods... What has happened
He had gone so long without anyone knowing his past, with most being either undead, or ancient. Taking a needle out of his pouch, he threaded a piece of leather on it, and began to sew his jack back together. Hearing footsteps next to him, he looked over his shoulder. There stood the woman, apparently finished healing Jhalla. She sat on the stone with him, letting out a sigh.
"My name is Ezumy by the way."
He stopped sewing, and smirked. Extended his free hand over to her, she shook it.
"My name is Viril."
Using a knife he cut the thread, and placed the needle back in the pouch. Looking back over to Ezumy, he noticed that she had a cut on her arm. Managing to organize a simple thought, he conjured up a simple healing spell and held his hand over her arm. With a glowing green light, the wound began to fizzle and close, leaving behind a light white scar.
"Sorry it isn't anything special, just a basic spell"
She smiled, and bowed her head.
"It does the trick, so thank you."
Viril started to feel his thoughts calming. Taking a deep breathe, he figured now would be opportune to figure out what to do. Standing, he walked over to Alex and Aral. Putting his hand on Alex's shoulder, he looked over at Aral.
"This isn't a time to be fighting, we need to figure out a plan of action otherwise we would deal with more of the undead."
Aral snickered. "Big talk coming from one."
Alex looked confused, "What does he mean by that Viril?"
Looking around once more, Viril made a stern face. He knew that no one would trust him if he didn't tell them, so walking over to a stone pillar he leaned against it. Crossing his arms, he began to tell them the whole story.
"I was born in 12fsc, under the great falls of Matrona*, like other elves, and in 30fsc I died in the wars between Man and the Elves. According to the Scholars and Obcasus priests... I was the first Elven Dead. So Lord Obcasus saw it fitting to make me into a Wailing Revanant.. Much like Marfedelom, the Wailing Revanant of Man. My soul was pulled out of the Great Crucible, to which is was branded with the mark of the Revanant, and I was given a great Bone**. Unfortunately I had no say in such endeavors of the Gods, so I was forced into immortality against my will instead of passing on with my family. I cursed Obcasus for this, and was made a pariah amongst my Revanat Brethren. So I walked to world for what seemed an eternity, until I came upon a hidden mountain temple. In this temple sat the imprisoned first knight Vulpes. He had been sitting there for such a time that his body was stone, and his laughter seeped from the walls themselves. This is where I found Bolt Bringer, and this ring. Unbeknownst to me, the sword causes madness in those who bear sanity, and the ring the bane of it. So as long as I wear the ring, I stay sane, but the sword stays dormant."
Everyone stood in disbelief. Aral stepping forward with a look of disdain said "Then why not use your Great Bone against her?"
Viril waved his hand in the air, bringing forth dark grey smoke. A giant Maw-like blade fell into his hand.
"Because anything cut, or slain by this doesn't die. The shackles of undeath are put upon it, and thusly under my command."
Pointing the blade at Aral, Viril gave him a serious look.
"Additionally, Great Bones do not work on other Revanants... Only the living. If you wish, I could give you an example?"
Aral stepped back, not out of fear, but out of hesitation... If what he said was true, just a cut would condemn him.
Lowering his sword, Viril made a sullen look.
"Besides, I haven't fed Mios in quite some time... it'd be best to let her sleep."
"Mios?" The Elvhen woman asked.
"It is this Great Bone's name.. The one that Obcasus whispered in my ear the day I was made undead."
Viril dropped the blade, which made it disappear into smoke.
"Listen, I understand if you wish to part ways after we leave this place, but I must warn you.. You have angered Marfedelom.. She will not let sleeping dogs be, and will hunt you. I will also warn you that the gears of fate are turning. While I was under the influence of Vulpes, I saw the future. He and one of the Revanants plan on starting a war, one that would wipe the face of Orbis clean... And while I will not raise a flag in either gods honor, I will fight them."
Looking over their faces... He knew that at least some of them wouldn't hesitate, but to say which ones was unknown to him.
"What say you?"
*Matrona bore the elves with her tears, and thusly have are ageless and are one of the most beautiful of all races.
*fsc - First Seal Creation. It's like bc or ad to us.
** Great bones are some of the bones of the first dead on Orbis, powerful weapons when forged into an Archetype (Sword, Greatsword, whip, knives, bow, etc etc) Viril's is a greatsword that can be used as a jaw and consumes blood.
-Kirito
"If it's a war that's coming, I can not guarantee that my kind will stand with you." Aral spoke sullenly. "We are low enough in number as it is, and the Orcs already march to wipe us out. We have enough problems."
"The Orcs? Are you blind, Aral?" Viril replied in amazement. "The Orcs serve Caerulem, they were his creation. That they march already is sign that war is practically upon us."
"They will not find my kind any time soon. After the last war," He stared pointedly at the Elvhen woman, "We scattered. A few squads of Faeries to guard small settlements. We can unite quickly, but first they have to find us."
"Still, it does not bode well. Time is short, we must escape this infernal place." Jhalla spoke.
"I agree." Fletcher called across the room, already saddling his horse so they could move. "We're in Obascus's territory. If he's able to resurrect Marfeldom, or any of the other Howling Revenants, we stand no chance. We must move now, or risk death."
"Or most of us anyway." Aral muttered, so only Fletcher could hear. He smirked, before turning to the group.
"I can only carry one other on this. So who's it going to be?" He asked.
"Jhalla is weakest." Alex spoke.
"I-I'm fine." Jhalla said in response.
"No you're not." Alex scolded. "Come on, let's get you up." Between Fletcher and Alex, they were able to get Jhalla into a seated position on the horse.
"Now let's go already." Aral shouted.
"Which way, Faerie?"
"Up. Always up." He replied.
"And how would you know that?" Alex glared at him in disgust.
"I once served as emissary to the Dwarves. I know how they build their cities." Aral smiled.
"Of course you did." Alex spat. "So, we're placing all our trust in this pipsqueak?" He turned to the rest of the group. Viril stared for a moment, before walking over and standing by Aral.
"You got a better idea kid?" Alex glared at them for a second.
"You take his side? He tried to kill me." Alex shouted.
"You insulted him. He warned you not to, you then attacked him. Way I see it, you're lucky to be alive." Viril smiled.
"You're fools, the lot of you. He doesn't even have magic." Alex was practically screaming. Aral and Fletcher both stared at Alex.
"What's wrong with not having magic?" Aral said quietly, wrapping a hand around the handle of his dagger.
"In a battle situation, you'd be worse than useless. Magic is the only way to win." Alex sneered.
"Oh really?" Aral pulled the dagger from its sheath, seeing Fletcher pulling his sword from its scabbard and stepping over as well. "The way I see it, cold steel is the best way to kill someone. There's just no substitute for a good blade." Alex had his sword in hand too.
"But what if the blade was imbued with magic?" Alex spoke some words in a language Aral couldn't understand. The sword glowed red in the gloom.
"Then you have no honour." Fletcher spat. "Men who lower themselves to the use of tricks to win a fight are the lowest of the low."
"I am a spell caster!" Alex shouted
"You are an arrogant trickster!" Fletcher shouted back, raising his blade right into Alex's face. Alex did the same, pointing the top right between the eyes. Aral stepped forward, placing the dagge underneath his rib cage, pointing up.
"Drop your blade." He whispered.
"Never."
"Drop. Your. Blade." Aral whispered again, pressing slightly. Viril stepped forward, pulling Alex away and gently pushing the blade down.
"Can we leave now?" Jhalla whispered with a weak voice. Alex nodded pensively.
"Fine. But if they even look at me." He indicated to Aral and Fletcher with contempt. "I will kill them both myself."
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
*Evening Boys and Girls, After some thought, i decide to make this one a bit Longer than i first thought i would make it. This is just going to be a crossover section to get the party out of the ruins. Everyone can pick what to do and where to go after that. Also to answer your question Kirito Jhalla is a man. Enjoy*
Alex put his hand against the cold stone wall. He was finding it harder and harder to keep up with the rest of the party. He had used so much magic energy fighting off Marfedelom. Then that strange power had over taken him, Marfedelom had call him what again? The Child of Chalybs? Yes that was it. I really need to ask Viril about…. “Ahh” Alex grabbed his head in pain.
In normal terms, Alex should not even be moving right now, and he would not be. Had the elvish woman, Ezumy, not made him drink that potion. She had said there would be side effects, but she did not tell him how bad they would be. Alex had attacked and insulted the fairy, Aral and the human knight Fletcher. That was very much against his character. Alex would have to properly explain everything to Aral and the others once that had all gotten out of the cave. Jhalla looked to be doing better at least. He was still asleep on the horse with Fletcher.
The party was making good progress due to the face Alex and Jhalla had manage to clear the way mostly on the way down as well as Aral leading the party upward. Viril and Ezumy were in the middle with Fletcher and Jhalla guarding them. That left Alex in the rear protecting everyone's back. Alex had done well so far with the enemies that had come to challenge him. He had switch from his sword to his hand crossbow. The crossbow was a 15 bolt Clip model that he had built himself. He also found that casting his Explosive Runes(Ignis Evanuit) into the bolt cost him less magic, save his energy for climbing all the damn stairs and did the job of wiping the undead off the map well enough.
“Up there!” Aral shouted and pointed to the top of the staircase in front of the party. “Once we clear these stairs we will be in the entrance hall, from there is is only a mild walk into the sunlight.” Aral said full of delight. “Lets us hurry then” Viril said. The party moved up the stairs quickly and as the came to the top the were rewarded with the sight of clear sunlight coming from the broken doorway. Aral smiled and rushed forward. Only to be grabbed by Viril and thrown him to the ground. Viril drew bolt-bringer and just manage to deflect an arrow that had be coming straight for Aral. “Marfedelom” Viril said, his voice full of anger.
Marfedelom stood just to the right of the door in the shadows. She Has already reattached her arm and was now holding what looked like a longbow made of bones. “Oh Darling, you made me miss my shoot. I was so hoping to have that fairy stuffed and placed above my fireplace” Marfedelom said with a wicked grin. Alex stepped forward along with Ezumy and fletcher to join Viril and Aral. “Oh i see the child of Chalybs is already up and walking. Bravo Darling” Marfedelom said as she mocking clapped at them. Alex made his way to the front of the group and shouted, “My name is Alex Nightcaster! You do well to remember it, for i will be the one who lays you to rest for good Marfedelom!” “Oh look the child has even learned my name!” Marfedelom laughed, “ I have such plans for you my dear Child of Chalybs, but i am afraid they will have to wait for another day. Father is calling me back, and he does so hate for me to be late. However before i go, i thought i leave i would give you all a gift to pay you back for last time.” Marfedelom brought her hand up and snapped her fingers together. The ground from her to the party lite up with purplish spell circles and runes. From these runes and circles came forth all manner of Undead. Marfedelom blew a kiss at Alex and then with a flick of her hand created a small portal in front of her. “Until we meet again my dear Alex” she said as she smiled evilly and step through the portal.
The undead begin to tighten their circle around the party. “So got any ideas Child of Chalybs?” Aral asked mockingly. Viril did not let Alex answer, “Aral, Alex now is not the time for you back and forth. I have a plan to get us out of here. Aral, me and you will take the lead and clear a path toward the door. The undead can not come out in the sunlight. Fletcher you follow right behind me and Aral. Alex, Ezumy follow close behind Fletcher and Jhalla. Do not let them flank us. Are we ready?” The party nodded their heads. “Good, then let's go” Viril shouted as he and Aral launched into the first of the undead blocking their path.
The fighting was fierce, but the party was cutting a steady path through the undead horde. Aral and Viril with their blades made quick work of any unlucky undead in their way. Equally Ezumy and Alex were firing enough bolts/spells into the rear to set a forest on fire. Fletcher keep a easy pace in the middle protecting Jhalla and easily handling any undead that wander too close. “Keep it up, we are almost at the door!” Viril shouted above the chaos. THe party press forward even harder. The undead trying equally to keep them in. About 10 feet from the door Viril Brought Bolt-Bringer about his head and whispered into one of the gems on the blade's hilt. He brought Bolt-Bringer tip first into the ground. The ground in front of the party erupted into flames. The undead that were caught in the flame were flung into the horde causing smaller fires to break out.
“NOW!” Viril shouted and the party moved as one through the opening moving toward the sunlight. Aral took to his wings to get to the opening first, however as he jumped into the aim a giant hand grabbed him and pulled him back into the darkness. Aral hit the ground hard, and was stunned for a moment. When he regained his wits he saw he was now more than 50 feet from the door and he was alone with a undead giant. The undead giant smiled down at Aral and brought his club up to smash Aral into paste. Aral tried to move out of the way, but when he did he say that his leg had been broken when the giant had grabbed him. Aral cursed his luck, and looked up in time to see the giant's club moving toward him. Aral closed his eye, he did not want to see what happened next.
However instead of a crushing sound, Aral heard the a loud ringing sound. When he opened his eye, he saw standing in front of him was Alex. Alex had drawn his sword and had caught the Club with both his hands on his sword. Aral could see blood running down Alex hand from where his blade had cut him. Alex looked at Aral and said, “Not all spell caster are murders or want to watch the world burn” Aral gasped in surprise. Alex normally Blue eyes were yellow. Alex pushed the club back with some effort and the rise his sword in one hand toward the giant. With one motion he brought the sword tip down toward the ground then begin to speak in words Aral could not understand. Suddenly, Alex was engulfed in Pale Blue Flame. When the flames cleared Alex was again in the Full-Plate armor of a First Knight. The Sigh of Chalybs Glowed brightly on the Right Shoulder plate. Alex raised his hand to the giant and shouted, “Giant of Eremus! I command you in the name of your maker Chalybs, break the chains of Obcasus! Clear the path so that the morning frost may once again cover the mark of my passing!” The giant seems confused for a second, then it began to shake, it eye shocks showed a pale flame burning inside. The giant spoke in its giant voice, “ Chalybs will be done, First Knight” The giant turned on the horde of undead and begin to clear the path with it club. Alex turn to Aral and placed his armored hand over Aral’s Leg. He spoke words that again Aral did not understand. When Alex lifted his hand, the bone was mended along with Aral’s other wounds. “Let us go” Alex said as he stood back up, helping Aral to raise.
Alex followed the path of death the giant was making, with Aral right behind him. The rest of the party watch from the Ruin gates and they made their way. Any undead that came too near of Alex just burst into Pale Blue flames. Alex never slowed down his pace. As the reached the sunlight, the giant followed them out and slammed the gate gates closed. Leaving Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tronj and all its nightmares behind.
The giant turn to the party and then bow his head toward Alex. Alex bowed his head as well, then with a wave of his hand said, “ I return you to Eremus my friend, you watch is no over” As the party looked on the undead giant smiled at them, the party saw a image of what the giant looked like before its dead. Then the giant was engulfed in Flames and burn down into mere ashes.
As the party when to the pile of ashes, they heard a loud thud. The turn to see Alex, Laying on the ground asleep, the armor seem to have disappeared once again. Viril shook his head in wonder, “Let's move over to the clear over there, The rest of our gear should be there and a spring of fresh water. We will rest here for the night and then decide things in the morning”
*NOTE: Alex can not be used for up to 24 hours, he will have to rest from using so much of his power. Same for Jhalla as he will need time to rest from his wounds*
-Kirito
Aral stared at his hands in wonderment.
How? How could magic, with all its destructive powers, be good.
A trick, surely? Some kind of trap, a lingering poison? Something untraceable?
He looked over at Alex's body. He took him in fully for the first time.
So young, at yet already so advanced at using magic.
How? Aral still couldn't understand it.
"Aral." He heard a voice. He looked around suddenly, but everyone else was busy, all finding something to do.
"Aral." The voice came again.
"Where are you? Who are you?" Aral shouted, getting to his feet. Viril looked over.
"Aral are you alright? Who are you talking to?" He asked, taking a step over.
"ARAL." The voice was louder now, more demanding.
"Can't you hear it, Viril? Someone is calling me." Aral looked at Viril, and Viril saw fire.
"Aral!" Viril called out, rushing towards him.
"ARAL!" The voice shored once again, and the party was suddenly washed with a blindingly bright white light. Viril screwed up his eyes and covered his face. When the light died down he looked again, his ears wringing.
Aral was gone, and in his place was a burning symbol, that Viril knew he'd seen before, but just couldn't quite place it.
Aral awoke to a world of white.
"Aral." The voice spoke again. It resonated around him, yet seemed to come also from within.
"Who are you? What do you want. And where the hell am I?" Aral shouted, turning.
"You know who I am. I am always with you. You are here to become better. To transcend the limits of mortals. To become, one with me."
"But... How?"
"We have much to do."
*yeah so Aral is gone for now. A note for Viril, he'll not be able to identify that symbol until Aral returns cuz plot reasons. Basically I need Aral out of the way for now because exams. I'll be doing more in a month, where he'll be returning, like it or loath it. And yes, he'll still be annoying everyone, just generally being better. Until then, have fun guys. And sorry this is so significant, I hope I haven't ruined any plans *
-Tal(GA1)
The party had been camping in the glade outside the tomb for about 2 days, resting and hunting herbs for medical reasons alike. No one had really spoken for quite sometime, and who could blame them.. There had been so much hidden and unknown information brought to light, that no one knew what to say.
Alex had become a device to some unknown power, Aral had disappeared for some hidden plot-t... I-I mean reasons unknown, and Viril's dark past had come forward in such an abrupt way that he was sure no one would truly trust him, save for the Elvhen woman who was oddly at ease with it.
Things were going to have to change though, they couldn't sit around forever, war was coming and they were the only ones that knew about it. So it was then, that they either band together in some sort of... Brotherhood, and hope that they could stop the future from coming to truth.
PLOT POINT DECISION.
Will you join the Brotherhood?
Yay, or Nay.
Please note that if you don't, you can still continue the story, but that will be where you part ways, and you will have to deal with the War allllll on your own (And no sudden OP ghost army type dealio either. You deal with it on your own sucka).
Additionally the GM will be throwing screwballs at everyone more often here, Phase 1 was more of a "Getting Everyone In" sort of dealio, now comes the D&D type stuffs.
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Viril, Alex, Jhalla, Ezumy, Fletcher, Aral Form the Brotherhood faction
-Thomas
They rode as fast as they could to the fortresses and the hours passed in silence save for the beat of Charger's hooves upon the ground. Finally they arrived at the gate. The fortress was old, it had been old when the guard had taken it from a mad king centuries ago, and it had been old even when the mad king had taken it from a now forgotten race. Built almost in a perfect circle it offered a clear view in all directions for its many archers, catapults, and large scorpion crossbows. Normally home to about 800 guardsmen it was suppose to withstand a siege of at least 8 months. So far the longest siege against the Guard there had only lasted six months.
Fletcher and Charger were quickly let in. Fletcher quickly found the stable master "Charger needs food, water, and rest. We'll be leaving within a few hours though so when I'm ready to leave he'll need to be in his half armor, have his feed restocked, and the ward stone replaced."
"Aye, that won't be a problem" replied the stable master "But what it is that has you in such a rush?"
"A war...a war between two of the most powerful beings in the world."
"I best see to Charger me self then." The stable master replied.
Fletcher quickly went to see the fortress commander since the Grandmaster was currently at a different fortress further south. He related everything that had happened to him and Charger from the Drake to the fights between the First Knights. After listening the fortress commander said "That is quite a tale, a worrisome one to be sure, but if I'm to tell this to the Grandmaster I have know it is true."
"Then take my signet ring as proof, with Immunis as my witness if I'm lying it is forfeit ." Fletcher replied
"Very well, the ring will be sent with your report to the Grandmaster."
"Thank you, sir. Now I must beg my leave."
"As you will Guard Fletcher. Good journeys to you."
Fletcher walked down to the armory, and then into the vault where the best equipment, and most dangerous weapons were stored. In a small section was all that was left of his family heritage, armor his forefathers had forged and fought in, a handful of bows that had hunted deer and lords, and there were a few artifacts as well. That this was all that remained of his family's line besides himself almost brought tears to his eyes. "Now is not the time for sentiment, nor of reliving the past" Fletcher told himself. His damaged chain mail armor was tossed onto an empty spot, and in its place, a piece of armor made of overlapping metal scales to protect his torso. A new blue cloak, plate mail armor for his arms, legs, and feet followed. His sword, mace, and spear were dropped next to the chain mail armor.
Fletcher picked up a masterwork bow, several quivers of arrows, a shield that could resist heat, and his family's prized heirloom/artifact. The enchanted diamond sword had been a gift to his family a millennia ago, but a few had ignored the inherent dangers of wielding a weapon that could cut through most metals and it had trimmed the family tree more than once. Now, for the first time in almost a century it would taste bllod again. Fletcher headed to the stables and found charger waiting there in half armor, he thanked the stable master and then he and charger left heading for prearranged meeting place as fast as they could.
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex opened his eyes slowly, his body felt heavy. He moved to a sitting position and looked around. The sun was starting its trip down, so it was late afternoon. Suddenly Ezumy appeared in front of him and said, “So finally you are awake. You have been asleep for a day and a half.” Alex looked at Ezumy as if see her for the first time, Alex had never really had the time or light to really look at her. She was rather pretty. Viril is a lucky guy Alex laughed in his head. “So what did i miss then?” Alex asked. “ you missed quite a bit” Viril said as he walked up behind Alex.
Alex turned so he could see Viril. Viril sat on a rock near by. “Let's see, we treated you and Jhalla wounds, we manage to rebuild the little camp, gather supplies from near by. Fletcher Let to check a little while ago to check in with his people. OH and Aral has disappeared in the thin air leaving only a burning rune in the ground.”
Alex nodded his head in thought. He looked over and saw Jhalla sound asleep near by. Alex begin to trying to stand up, Ezumy grabbed his Alex’s arm to steady him, “careful, you are not at 100% just yet” He nodded his thanks and gently pushed her away, “ I’m ok, really” Alex said to reassure her. “Now show me this rune” Alex said to Viril. Viril lead the way over to a small rune burning into the ground. Alex reached a head out toward it and was repelled back. “ It's a pretty strong rune” Alex said, “Viril, Ezumy give me a hand. Viril and Ezumy look at each other, then a little unsurly put one of their hands on Alex’s shoulders.
Alex closed his eye and focused his mind on the task on hand. When he opened his eyes again his eyes were glowing yellow. He places both hand in front of the run and begin to chant a short enchantment. Viril and Ezumy could feel the struggle Alex was have trying to keep all the magical power in check. After another minute alex took a deep breath and gave a final push. There was a bright flash and then the burning rune subsided just a little as new runes begin to form a circle around it. The New runes were white, and completely encircled the rune. Alex set down on a rock a breathed hard. “What did you do?” Ezumy asked. Alex looked up at her and said, “ Well at first i try to break the rune to see if i could bring Aral back. However whoever made that rune is quite power even with all of my magic energy and yours i could not do it. Then i tried to follow the magical path and see if i could find Aral. But again i was blocked. So i put an alarm spell on the rune. When someone calls on this rune or opens a portal through it, I will know.”
Ezumy nodded her head, she was impressed. Alex was certainly had a great command of magic. Alex turn to Viril. “Viril I need to talk with you” Viril looked at Alex and then sat down opposite of him. Ezumy also sat down on a rock near by “Viril, what is happening to me? I feel like i have this great river running through me, and then there is that armor. I am scared ” Alex asked. Viril took a moment to decide on what to say, then said, “It seem Chalybs has finally chosen a new First Knight, That would be your new powers and magical strength. The armor is call an Dragon Cloak, all First Knights can summon them” Alex looked up to the heavens in wonder, “ but why did he pick me?” Viril shook his head, “I do not know, Chalybs has not had a First Knight in nearly 3000 years. The last one was Jack Frostsword, he was a good friend.”
“You know the last First Knight?” Alex said in surprise. “Yes i did, he was killed by Marfedelom.” “How did she kill him?” Alex asked. Viril shook his head, “another time young one, we have more important things to do right now.” Viril stood up and drew Bolt Bringer, “I am going to train you to better control your new powers, if we don’t, you may lose control randomly. “ Alex grabbed his swords and stood up, felt the power rush through him and down his arms. “Gladly” alex said with a smile.
-Tal(GA1)
In the meantime of waiting for others to join Viril and the bunch, he had been training Alex in swordplay, and magical control. If he could though, he would leave magic teaching to Ezumy, as she was more proficient in it. They had decidedly moved the camp into one of the mountainside ruins, as it would prove to be a better base than a camp in the woods. Since they had decided to form the Brotherhood in preparation of the conflict to come, they needed to find people to join their cause, and as they happened to be out in the middle of no where.. Random people where probably not going to stumble upon them. They hadn't really explored a lot of the ruins, just enough to set up a camp in the ruins courtyard.
After Viril had gotten done with training Alex, he opted for a walk to see what kind of place the ruins were at one point. Noticing what would normally be the Regents Room (a room where the duke, or king would sit amongst his people) he pryed open the giant wooden door and squeezed through the small open space. Activating his lightstone, he looked around the room to find everything placed like it had been however long ago, but covered in a thin layer of dust. Walking down the center isle between the two long tables, he noticed a very large, very odd statue at the end of the room next to the Regent Throne. He took a step towards it, and reached his hand out only to be met with a low, grinding sound.
"I would like it if you didn't touch me." Came an wispy voice.
Viril stepped back in shock. Looking around to see where the voice was coming from.
"Not a sharp Elf, are we?" cackled the wispy voice.
Viril started to get annoyed.
"Who are you? How are you speaking like this?"
The statue started to fall apart, with faint hints of light coming from various carvings. The statue had broken and scattered all around the pedestal on which it once sat. Viril looked at the rubble with hesitation as each piece began to wobble and roll towards a massive glowing piece. Assembling themselves, they started to lift, and form a stony being.
"I've been asleep for nearly 2000 years, and the first person I met is an undead, how unpleasant."
Viril finally understood what it was.
"I can't say I've ever met a construct before, especially one still made of stone."
The stony face made what appeared to be a smile, and coughed dust out of what was supposed to be a mouth.
"Can't stand those who would be metal, takes away the pride of the Construct.. We are one of the first, so stone should be our skin."
Viril nodded, he didn't understand, but he nodded.
"What is your name?"
The Construct raised its hand to its face, as if stroking his chin.
"Can't say that I whole Heartedly remember, but I do believe I was called the Keeper of this fine castle."
Viril felt awkward, he wasn't sure how the Keeper would feel about the current status of the Ruins, but as Viril was usually the honest sort he simply waved the construct over to the door.
"You might want to see something..."
They both walked over to the massive door, the construct moving it with ease. Looking upon the rubble, the keeper simply stayed silent for what seemed an hour.
"But... It was only 2000 years... Stone should keep that long..."
Shaking his stony head, he let out a huge sigh.
"And I take it this castle has no lord anymore..."
Viril placed his hand upon the back of the keeper, patting it.
"Well, My friends and I are in need of a castle.."
The Keeper looked over at Viril, with what seemed to be a face of "Well I guess". Walking down to the courtyard, Viril gave introductions. Alex seemed wary at first, and Ezumy almost getting carried away at the sight of something made from magic. Viril went on to tell the Keeper of his visions and why they needed the Castle for the Brotherhood. At first the Keeper was content with just letting them have it, but as the tale went on he opted to help them.
"My sole duty was to keep this place in one piece so-to-speak, so if the Brotherhood is in need, I will help."
The party cheered, this was monumental. Viril grinned, this was their first step, and the Brotherhood would soon be ready to take in people. Ezumy walked over to Viril, and showed him a strip of leather. On it showed a hand gripping a Dragon Skull with rays shinning around it.
"This should be our banner Viril."
Viril looked it over, and frankly in his mind, it was pretty cool looking. He thought it over, showing it to Alex which he responded with a thumbs up. They then all nodded.
Days later, The Keeper had started on fixing the battlements, and the Main Flag Pole on the Main Castle Turret. The party took shifts, clearing out rooms of rubble and dust, and when all was said and done they found that the Castle had many rooms. There was an armory, a tunnel which lead to a strange underground river (that was wide enough to hold a dock), an infirmary, and an area that acted as a Domicile. There was also a forge, a quite large one at that. Viril took considerable notice in one room in particular, and that was an enchanters room. This one had stayed in decent condition too, with it being almost fully stocked.
Once they had cleared out the Regent Room, they decided that they would turn it into a council hall, and even went so far as to chop trees out in the woods to make a large table. They all sat in the room, and looked at each other from across the table that they sat upon.
"This is really coming together, isn't it?" Alex asked as he smiled.
Viril nodded, and then looked sternly at the others.
"The Castle is coming together quite nicely, but without people to inhabit it, it won't be of much use. First thing is first, we need to meet up with Fletcher, and hopefully recruit some people into our ranks. I've had an idea since I've found that enchanters room... Ezumy and I will take some Fallen star fragments, and make something useful to the higher ranked Brotherhood members. I will start to craft these items, and afterwards we will leave for the Town."
Alex and the Keeper looked confused as to why Viril wouldn't divulge what the items were.
"O-ok?" Alex responded.
Viril and Ezumy stood, and walked towards the Enchanters Room, and for the next few days all Alex could hear were the sounds of metal smashing against metal, and strange chanting. By the fourth day, they finally came out while holding a chest. They placed said chest on the large table and opened it. Inside were strange trinkets and one large Spire shaped stone.
"These will be our way around Cloudai from now on."
Alex looked confused.
Viril pointed at the small trinkets, "These are Ferry Tools."
And then he pointed at the large Spire shaped stone, "This a Ferry Point"
Viril then sat down.
"What Viril lacks to mention is that these in conjuction with a phrase and location will teleport you to said location. Like say that we had a Ferry point at base, but we where in an Froste Legion town... We could teleport to base from far away."
Alex then got excited.
"Which one is mine??"
Viril took the Dragon shaped ring out of the chest, and placed it into his hand.
"Wait here."
Viril took the Large Ferry Stone out of the chest and walked into one of the empty rooms. About an hour went by when he returned.
"Now put the ring on and say 'By the Brotherhoods wings, I'll be in Okarthel' "
Alex excitedly did so. As soon as he repeated what Viril said, white flames emanated from the ring and when he went to blink, he was in an empty room. Looking around, he saw the Ferry stone next to him. Looking forward he saw Viril and Ezumy walking up.
"This will be a sort of port room, if you need to travel you come into here, but as soon as we have points in other cities and what not."
Viril went about setting up a door that only opened to Ferry Tool wearers, and set up mystic mirrors in the empty room to eventually show the area around future Ferry point locations. He then walked back to the Council room to find Ezumy trying to put on her Ferry tool (a necklace) which Viril stepped over to her to help. Once she put it on, she looked down to see a necklace that had been made to look like a falling star, which she thought was humorous due to their meeting. Viril then went to equip his, which was just a plain Sword ring, waving his hand downward, Mios appeared in his hand. He then fit the gem onto it, and dropped the sword. Once the sword had disappeared, he took the chest and put it back into the Port room.
He walked back out, and towards the massive door.
"Here's the plan, The Keeper will stay here and continue to fix things up, I would also like for you to make some Golemns for the entrance as so no one can take the castle from us."
The Keeper nodded.
"We will then find a building in the town where Fletcher is meeting us, and hopefully purchase it to place our Ferry point. Once that is done, we will port back with more people, hopefully."
Ezumy suddenly ran through the massive doorway.
"Wait! Put these on!"
She then handed everyone strips of leather with the Brotherhood symbol on them.
"Now we can say that we are The Brotherhood!"
Everyone smiled and put it on wherever they wanted. Viril placed his upon his upper arm, Alex upon his wrist, The Keeper wrapped it around neck, and Ezumy had hers on the upper arm opposite of Viril.
It was then that they set out for town, and to give Fletcher his Tool and band.
(Yup, that was longer and more full of stuff than I initially wanted xD)
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex ducked under yet another branch that had come into his way. “Are you sure this is the right path to Knight Watch Viril?” Alex ask. The path, if it could be call that, was very overgrown,and was get harder to navigate every hour. “Yes i am sure Alex, not one has used this path for more than 500 years, as we get closer it will clear up.” Viril answer, a bit annoyed. Alex signed and duck over another branch pushing his way forward. There party was very small at the moment. It consist of Virl, Alex and Ezumy. Jhalla has been left at Okarthel' In the care of Keeper, who Alex had taken to calling “Arda”. Arda does not seem to mind being called. Jhalla still injured from taking a sword belly was not well enough to travel just yet. Alex mind when back to Okarthel. So much had happened since they begin bring the old castle back.
The first day or two they had taken to clearing out as much of the old debris as they could. Then moving all their things into their rooms. However after all that Alex had fallen into a sort of pattern. At dawn him and Viril would meet in the “Training Room” which was simply a fenced off overhang that looked over the valley below. Each morning Viril pushed Alex hard, drilling him in spell retentions, Sword control, and more importantly channeling Alex’s massive magical power into his Angel Pendant. To Alex surprise the Angel Pendant was made to store and maintain magical overflow. Most Spellswords have no need for one, as rarely do they have large magic reserves. It seems Alex father was one such spellsword. His Mother must have know and that was why she gave it to Alex before he left
After training, Alex would caught a quick breakfast normally with Ezumy and Viril. Then go visit Jhalla in the infirmary. Jhalla was getting his strength back slowly. His wounds came from a magical Sword infused with acid. Even with magical healing runes and spell, the healing was slow. But he was healing.
After Visiting Jhalla, Alex like to take a trip down to “Aral Circle” as he came to call it. He would check on the magical rune he placed on the circle, and then he would check the magic seals he had place on the entrance of Kyth'Rak Knurl'Tron. One day, Alex thought he would return and clear the place out, but for not the seals would keep anyone else from meeting their deaths inside. Alex had also taken the time to seal the hole that Viril and the other had fallen into.
After his was done checking, it was normal about midday. Alex would return to the castle and head for his room for the rest of the day. Which was where Alex spent most of his time. Alex’s room was located in the southeast corner of the castle in a large drum tower with views of the river and forest far below. Alex room was at the top of the tower. Below it was what was left of a grand library the castle once had. The room had been in ruins, as it looked a great fire had raged inside at one point. This of course lead to many of the books to be little more than ash. However some had survived, and Alex took a great delight in reading, translating, and repairing the savable ones.
Alex had even a book listing all the Great First Knight of Cloudai from over 1000 of years ago. However the book had been a challenge to translate, and he was not done with it yet. So far he know very little of the original First Knight of Chalybs, Jake Frostsword. Alex knew he was a great hero, and that he had been very powerful, more powerful than most First Knights of the era. He know Frostsword had lead his knighthood in the Great War of Stardom. Lastly Alex knew he was somehow killed by Marfedelom.
Viril has refuse to share anymore with Alex, every time Alex asked Viril told him he would tell him in time, but for not to focus on training and controlling his First Knight powers. Alex knew Viril would tell him one day, but Alex found it hard to wait. He feared that Marfedelom knew a weakness about the Alex new found powers, and could use them against him. He would just have to wait, but it was killing.
During one of Alex’s afternoon, as he was repairing a book, Ezumy had show up to help him with a difficult translation. They had gotten along rather well, and had starting talking about Alex past. Ezumy had listen and asked questions that made Alex think. The conversation had moved to Alex’s training and how he was have a hard time controlling all his magic.
Ezumy had smiled and told Alex she had an idea. She when to his work station a pull out a Blank book. She handle the book to Alex and told him to repeat after her and then channel his magic into the book. She spoke the works, and Alex did as he was told. As he did the book glow briefly and then he saw on the cover the symbol of Chalybs appear.
Ezumy explained that Alex could use the book to store his runes, as some wizards do. All Alex would need to do is chant the words to the pages of the book, and transfer the need magical into them. She said in time, Alex would be able to lift the runes out of the book at anytime and then use them to enchant anything he was touching, even allied weapons. The Beginning Spell had been to bind the book to Alex so he could summon it from anywhere. ALex nodded his thanks and begin to set to work making any such books and pouring his unused energy into them with many runes. ALex had one such book with him now…….
“Hey Pay attention!” Viril shouted as he grabbed Alex by the shoulder. Alex had been so busy thinking he had almost walked right off a small cliff face. “My bad viril, i was lost in thought” Alex said. Ezumy laughed, and shook her head. “Let go, there is Knight Watch” Viril said point to the large stone city of Humans. It was no more than 3 miles up the road. “Indeed let's go” Alex said as they started on the path once more
-Tal(GA1)
The party had finally made it to their destination. Walking through the gate they noticed that there were guards at various points of the walls that surrounded the town. Viril was never a fan of Knight watch, as it was mainly inhabited by men and most were less than welcoming to elves. They walked into one of the taverns that sat next to the front gate, and managed to secure information on any vacant buildings for sale. Hearing that an old mill had been abandoned after a wheat beetle infestation, the party all decided that it would be a good front for their ferry point. Viril decided that they needed to find the owner, and to do so they would need money when said owner was found. Reaching into his void pouch, Viril pulled out 6 platinum plates, and handed two to each person.
"When you find the owner, be sure to offer one of these... If he is unsure offer the other as well."
Alex had a look of surprise, that was quite a bit of money. One platinum bar was usually worth about two thousand gold coins, and gold coins were pricey as it was. But when he thought about it, Viril had been walking the world for quite some time, so having that much wouldn't be odd.
It took most of the day to find the mill's owner, but they eventually all met up at the tavern to find him drinking with some drakens. He seemed particularly cheery, and Viril had hoped that it would help the sale. He walked over to the group and tried to get his attention.
Placing a hand on the mans shoulder,
"Excuse me, I wish to talk about the mill you have for sale..."
The man shrugged his hand off. Viril puckering his lips in disdain, placed his hand on the mans shoulder again, this time squeezing it a bit.
"Excuse me... You might want to talk to me about it."
The man now annoyed, shrugged the hand off again, looking at Viril with a clearly annoyed face.
"Listen ya knife eared lowte... I'm busy"
Alex went to step forward, but Viril put his arm in his way. Flashing a plat plate, the mans face changed from annoyance, to greed.
"O-oh, I didn't realize that you were someone of high regard.. W-what can I help you with?"
Viril now scouring at the man, flipped the plate in the air before sarcastically placing it in his pocket.
"Well us Knife Ears would like to purchase your Mill."
The man making a face of painful awkwardness, got out of his seat. Walking towards the door, he opened it to usher the party out.
"Well follow me then."
They walked over to the Mill, and saw that they might be able to change it into a shop and create more of a workable front, but once they went inside... Viril had another idea. The building had been made to accommodate workers and carts... but due to an extreme lack of both, it was open enough to put tables and a sort of guild hall. Walking through more of the rooms, he saw that there could be rent-able rooms made, and a sort of food storage in the back. When they were finally done with the tour, Viril handed the man the plat plate, and took the deed from the man.
"Pleasure doin' business witch-ya."
After that, the man slinked out of the mill.
Turning to the others as they brought chairs from the storage room. Alex sat down and crossed his arms.
"So what are we doing with this place? You looked like you had a plan."
Viril smirked, he had thought of a plan for recruiting people. Placing his hands on the counter of the ruined bar, Viril began to tell them of his plan.
"Well since the Brotherhood is fresh, we need a way to recruit people with ease... So here's what I'm thinking.. We have some time before the war starts, and from what I've seen in my vision... It'll be about 2 years before anything starts.. So why buy such a large place? We are going to front as a Guild.."
Ezumy and Alex both looked at Viril in confusion.
"Now hear me out. With a new Mercenary band, which is what the Brotherhood would look like to anyone who doesn't know our goal. We need to start as something that seems... New, but not dangerous. A guild is the way to do it."
Viril nodded his head at the idea, smirking with a wry smile.
"I have the money to start this, money isn't even an issue. I will set up the Ferry point in the stone room below, and we will pay some locals to renovate the Mill into a guild hall/Inn. Ezumy will stay here to run the building until we find someone to do the job, and Alex and I will return to the Castle to check on things there."
Ezumy nodded, and Alex smirked.
"Does that mean we are the Guild Leaders?"
Viril nodded. Standing with a cheer, Alex ran about the room.
"What are we waiting for then??"
Over the course of a few days, Viril hired locals to fix various walls, floors, and ceilings about the Mill. Eventually they got a sign made for the Hall, and on it was 'The Laughing Dragon: The Brotherhood Guild'. It took about a week before the Hall was done, but when it was it should have shined like a gem. The entrance was set up to show a bulletin board with notices on jobs, then there was the dining area where the open area used to be. Tables littered it, and the old bar was turned into the order area. Every room was cleaned and rebuilt into livable rooms, with Viril, Ezumy, Alex, Jhalla and Aral all having their own rooms.
Viril decided that if they were to get Guild Members, they would need to offer something in exchange for their joining. Hiring the local blacksmith, he had swords, bows, and armor made with the Brotherhood symbol on them. He then went about the town, placing pieces of paper that promised three things "A place to live, A set of Armor, and A Meal each day".
Finally deciding that they had finished setting things up, Viril and Alex went to the ferry point below. Before they could go, Ezumy ran up to Viril and gave him an oddly long hug.
"Until you return." she said with a wink.
Viril blushed and shook it off. Walking through the Mirror, they instantly were in the Castle. Walking out onto the courtyard, They noticed that the Castle had changed quite a bit. The Keeper had been busy, most of the walls were fixed and looked as if they were new, golems patrolled the various walls with mechanical precision, and the Brotherhood flag flew nearly at every turret.
"Wow, Arda has been busy, hasn't he.." Alex jested.
Viril nodded his head while looking around.
"That he has."
-Kirito
Alex and Viril walked the walls in peaceful quiet. The golems paid then no attention, facing outward, prepared for any threat. Birds flew over the trees, calling to each other in a variety of screeches.
Suddenly, a blinding light shot across the forest. The birds scattered, taking to the sky in an attempt. Alex and Viril covered their eyes and crouched behind the wall, whilst the golems stood unaffected.
The light faded suddenly as it had come. The two stood cautiously, looking out over the wall.
Flames licked the trees, igniting the leaves. They looked at each other.
"Aral!" They said simultaneously, realisation dawning on them, before they hurried towards the seal.
As they approached, they began to make out a figure stood in the middle of the seal.
"Get your sword, Alex." Viril whispered. Alex drew it slowly, before they stepped into the clearing. Flames wreathed the area, flowing through the mark on the floor. The armoured figure stood a few inches off the ground, staring straight at them through the face plate.
"Who are you?" Alex spoke. The figures head snapped straight to him.
"You." The voice was deep, ominous. "You saved my life once. The debt will not go unpaid." Viril watched, curiosity on his face.
"And you, elf who is of Labes and Obascus, being of two deities, you too are owed a debt." Said the figure, turning to face Viril.
Suddenly, flames burst from the figure, yet they remained untouched. When they died down again, Aral was stood where the figure had been, sweat dripping from his face.
"Aral?" Alex asked, reaching forward to grab him. Aral smacked the hand away.
"I do not need your help. Now, is someone going to tell me where we are? Or will I have to tray and figure it out?" He looked from Alex to Viril. Alex huffed, sheathing his sword, whilst Viril stared at the mark, a look of intense curiosity on his face.
"Hey, elf. Where are we?" Aral snapped his fingers in Virils face.
"Hmmm?" Viril came out of his trance-like state. "Oh. Just outside the caves."
"Are you kidding me?? Marfeldom is so nearby and you chose to stay here? Fools." Aral raged.
A look of realisation crossed Virils face.
"There we go, got some gears turning now, eh?" Aral grinned.
"No. No, this symbol. I recognise it now." Viril said grimly.
"What is it then?" Alex asked.
"It's the mark of Caerulem." Viril responded, emotionlessly.
"So?" Aral sighed.
"Making you the First Knight of the very good that created the Orcs that nearly wiped out your kind." Viril stared straight into Arals eyes.
"Doesn't mean I have to use his power." Aral retorted. "You rarely use Labes', why should I use mine?" He reasoned.
"Maybe. But I have an item to prevent Labes from taking me over. You on the other hand, do not. It may take you by surprise, and we have no way of knowing what will happen if, or when, this power takes you over." Viril said darkly.
*oh yeah, we're back. And yes, I fully intend to Aral to be the same loveable, unbearable asshole. Only now he's also a First Knight. Cuz he wasn't already unpredictable enough *
-Thomas
Fletcher's journey had not been as swift or as easy as he had planned. As he and Charger were riding back to the meet up with the rest of the Brotherhood they noticed smoke rising from the woods and went to investigate. As they got closer they heard the sound of battle. Fletcher pulled out his bow, silently notched an arrow, and made sure his sword was in easy reach. As they came out of the woods they saw a large group of Reivers attacking a small village. He knew this band, they had been terrorizing the area for several months now, and now it seemed they had enough members to start sacking villages. The villagers were putting up a fight, but while they were armed, mostly with farming implements, only a few seemed to have any training. Their wooden palisade had been breached and the archers in the single watchtower were not making much of a difference against the raiders.
Fletcher felt his blood boil at the sight since he had a long standing vendetta against Reivers. He had not forgotten what had happened that fateful night that had eventually brought him to the Guard and he would not let it be repeated here. His first six arrows dropped their targets without alerting the rest of the group but his seventh skirted off his armor.
The bandit turned and saw Fletcher "A Blue Guardsman, Kill him!" He yelled, and as six of the Reivers charged Fletcher he put his bow back into its fur carrying case and drew the diamond sword with his right hand. "For the Guard and for the Fletchers!" Fletcher yelled and spurred Charger on. The sword, named Detun al ruath or the shining star, sliced through the leading Reiver's chain mail with ease, it cut through the oak handle of a battle axe, and through the bronze buckler the last Reiver had. Fletcher turned his gaze upon the remaining Reivers as another six broke off from their attack to stop him leaving only a dozen to fight the villagers. One of the Reivers in this group had a crossbow and his hasty slot managed to pierce the armor protecting Fletcher's wrist. Before the sword could drop he grabbed it with his left hand, hopped off of Charger and attacked the six. Fighting with his left hand so easily shocked the Reivers and he made quick work of them.
The remaining Reivers were done and broke away from the villagers, but as they did one of them decided to get even with the Guardsman who cost them so much and attacked Charger with his spear. Fletcher ran as fast as he could but saw he wouldn't make it in time. When he saw the spear begin to pierce the armor he yelled "NOOO! as he stretched out his hand. It was in that moment of terror that he found something he had not realized was there and in desperation he used it. It was a spell without words, powerful yet incredibly dangerous, but before the Reiver's spear could go more than a few inches past Charger's armor the Reiver screamed. Then he simply ceased to be.
Fletcher had never felt such exhaustion and he fell to the ground having overused his undiscovered and untested power. The villagers quickly moved to his side, placed him in a bed, and waited to see if their hero would wake again.
-Lord Frostsword(GA2)
Alex raised his left sword to block Viril’s onslaught of blows. Alex just barely manage to roll out of the way of Jhalla follow up strike from behind. Alex rolled into one of the practice stands, and just manage rise to a kneeling stance before Viril and Jhalla were on him again. He blocked and dodged as best he could but Viril and Jhalla did not let up. Alex was being pushed all over the room, he had to do something. Alex tighten his defense and stood his ground. He waited for his moment, “There!” Alex shouted and drove one of his sword into Viril sword hand, while also delivering a kick to Jhalla upper thigh. Viril dropped his sword, which allowed Alex to strike Viril twice across his chest. He then turned and throw one of his swords at Jhalla who was still stunned from the earlier blow. The sword caught Jhalla in the arm while Alex ran and dropped kicked Jhalla.
Alex Stood up breathing hard, sweat dripping down his face. “Not bad Alex, but you were a bit too slow” Viril said as he began to wipe the red paint off his practice gear. Alex looked down at himself, he was covered in blue and green paint from Viril and Jhalla practice weapons. There was a large Blue slash across Alex's chest. “When did you?” Alex began to say. “You still have much to learn Alex” Viril said as he patted Alex on the shoulder with a grin. “Did you really have to drop kick me? You know i am still recovering right?” Jhalla said as he sat up painfully. “Hey you said not to give you a handicap. I was just doing as you asked.” Alex laughed as he helped Jhalla up.
The sound of mocking clapping came a figure sitting in a chair next to the door that lead out of the Practice room. The Figure was Aral, who had been watching solely because he had nothing better to do. “Bravo, Bravo. I am sure when Marfeldom come you fancy painting style will save us!” Aral clapped on. “You could always join us” Alex challenged. Aral gave a small laugh. “I think not, i have much better things to do them join you three in your useless training. I am going back to my room before your stupid affects me.” Aral got up and left through the door leading to the court yard.
Alex sighed. Aral was always a pain, he wonder what made Aral act the way he did. Jhalla came up and put a hand on Alex’s shoulder, “So you going to tell us what is getting at you? You seemed very unfocused while we were training, as if you were lost in thought” Alex sighed again, “Sorry, i was thinking about Fletcher. It has been almost a month with no reply from him. He should not take that long for him get to Knight Watch.” Viril nodded, listening to Alex talk about how the search parties had turned up nothing as well. When Alex was done Viril said, “so what are you going to do about it?”
“I don’t know, i fear the worse” Alex replied. “Why care so much about him, i mean he is just one human” Jhalla said as he was wiping some red paint off his shoulder pat the refused to come off. “He is not just a human Jhalla, he is one of us. If he is in danger, we swore to go help him.”
Viril looked up to say something when suddenly the door to the training room burst open and a tiny Golem ran into. “Master Alex! Master Alex! I have a..” The Golem missed the top step and fell flat on its face. Alex rushed over to the little Golem and helped it stand back up. The little Golem looked like a small child and was made of what looked like Stone, Wood. Leather and Paper in places. The golem also seemed to have a pair of metal glasses on its “nose”. It eyes were tiny gems that gave off a faint blue glow. “Alex, what is that?” Viril asked. Alex looked up with Grin, “Everyone say hello to Parma. I made him with Arda help. Arda did most of the work, but i was able to add a few enhancements along the way to make much smarter than any of the golems we have standing guard everywhere. I had Parma made to help me in the library. He aids me in the books repair and organizing the books.” Alex looked down at Parma with a question on his mind, “However Parma is not quite done yet, his magical connection are not very stable yet nor is his crystal focal point that houses all his magical energy. They still need time to grow. I told him not leave the library, so why are you here?”
Parma pushed his Glasses up and began,” I um…….know i was not meant to leave the library yet Mater Alex yet……..but…...um…….A report came in…….from Master Ezumy……….” Parma chest open to relieve a fist size crystal floating in the center of his chest with runes covering it and the inner walls. Every so often a small sparks could be seem connecting to the different runes. Parma reach in and pulled out a small letter. He handed the letter to Alex.
Alex open the letter and read it. When he was done, he shook his head and handed the Letter to Viril. Viril read the letter quickly and then said, “ It says Ezumy had gotten reports of a Reivers attack on a small village just south of Knight Watch. In the report it says a member of the Blue Guradmans protect the village. But it says nothing of what happened to the Blue Guradmans.” “so what do you want to do?” Jhalla asked.
Alex turned and grabbed his things and then turned to Parma. “Parma go gather my gear, me and you are going to investigate.” Viril caught Alex arm, “wait we will go with you” Alex shook Viril arm off gently and said, “ No, you are need here to run things. Jhalla is still injured, and Aral, is well Aral. It's ok, I will portal to Knightwatch and gather some supplies for the road and check in with Ezumy. Then i will head for the village and check it out. Don’t worry if i get in trouble i can portal back with this.” Alex said as he pointed to his fairy ring.
Viril did not like it, but Alex was right. He agreed to the plan. Alex grinned, then He and Parma rushed out of the Practice room
-Tal(GA1)
*Claps* Yay, it's my turn. :3
Viril had been walking along the walls of the Castle as Alex left. Stopping atop a turret, he looked out over the forest that surrounded them. Many things had happened in such a short time, which made Viril look back on his life. He had walked the world alone for a very long time and the recent events had begun to change him. He had friends now, and allies... Something he didn't wish to forsake. He looked down at Bolt Bringer, the sword that had brought him power, but at the cost of his sanity. It was time for him to part ways with it.
Walking down to the port room, he touched one of the mirrors, and thought of a place that no one dare go. An image of a green lake shone before him. Placing his hand on the image he closed his eyes. When he opened them he was in front of the lake.
"Obcasus' Soul Urn" He whispered.
Walking towards the edge of the lake he looked down... There was nothing but black at the bottom of it.
No one would ever seek the blade down there He thought to himself.
Untying the blade from his belt, he took a look at the hilt. Taking the starry gem from the hilt, he placed it in his pouch. With a stern look, he out-stretched his arm with the blade, and held it over the water. So much was wrong with this sword, and no being should ever have to pay the price it required.
This is not the end, I will return sword or not... Knife Ear
With anger in his face, he drew his arm back, and with a loud scream he threw the blade out into the middle of the Lake... as he felt it leave his hand, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Falling to his knees.. He let out a sigh of relief.
"I am free of him."
Moments went by until he stood again. Closing his eyes once more, he thought of the mirror... When he opened them again he was back in the room. Walking out of the room, he waved his hand down, calling Mios. He then tied the blade to his belt, and went into his room. With a look of surprise, he saw the Ezumy was waiting for him.
"I thought you were at the guild hall?"
Ezumy picked up a small wooden figure that was on his side table.
"I believe your words were for me to stay there until we found someone to take my place, and I did." She said with a smirk.
Lifting the figure, she playfully bobbed it towards Viril. Reaching out, he grabbed it from her, walking over to the table to place it in its spot.
"That was my son's... Please don't touch it."
He motioned her for the door, he was tired and wanted to sleep. Smirking again, she walked out of the door, not before looking back and saying,
"meet me down by the river at sunset, I have things to tell you."
Viril looking confused, nodded his head. With a sweet smile she walked out of his room. Sitting in his bed, he shut his eyes and drifted to sleep.
He heard the clanging of swords out in the courtyard later that day.. It must have been new recruits training. Lifting himself up he noted that it was nearing sunset. Walking down to the river he wondered what is was that she wished to speak of. When he finally arrived he took note of a strange white light to the west of him. Sneaking through the trees and brush, he saw that it was Ezumy casting white light over the water. Making himself known, he walked into the small opening.
"What is it that you wished to discuss?" he asked.
she looked over her shoulder,
"I have seen many things walking this world, probably not as many as you, but many all the same."
He looked confused.
"Of those things, there is one that I hold dear to me"
She stood up looking over at him.
"You may not remember this, but we have met before."
Viril continued his confused look.
"I was a bit younger then, but I assure you we have met before. You came into the elven wood once, about 50 years ago... My father was a shop keep at the time, and you came into the shop to looking for elden wood."
Viril remembered that day, it had been quite foggy, and he was being hunted by Rugar Draken. He had been poisoned and sought out elden wood to eat so as to neutralize the toxin. He had stayed with the shop keep for about the week. There had been a girl there that was overly friendly towards him, and had asked where he was from. Helping her father, he had grown attached to them and figured that he had better of left before something bad had happened. Gifting a small jewel he had found in a void temple to the little girl he had left for other places.
He smirked, it had been a while since he had thought of them. Looking over at her, he noted how she looked like the girl, just older. She lifted her hand, and showed off a bracelet with a small jewel in the center.
"You kept it.." He said in awe.
She smiled.
"I couldn't well and throw away a gift from the great Viril, now could I?"
They both had a good laugh, and decided to walk back to the castle. On the way back Viril noticed something different, he felt an odd sensation in his chest, but put it out of his mind..
-Thomas
Fletcher had floated in and out of consciousness for several weeks following the attack against the village. His condition had worried the village leaders but the village healers had worked hard to stop the infection caused by the wound from a crossbow bolt. On the third week Fletcher woke up. He was still tired from his ordeal and slightly fuzzy as to what had happened during the attack. One of the village healers walked into the room.
“Oh, you’re up. How are you feeling?”
“Tired” He replied.
“That’s not hard to believe seeing how you’ve been sick for the last few weeks.”
“Two weeks? Have I’ve been sleeping that whole time?”
“Pretty much.”
Fletcher could feel sleep coming on again and resisted the call. “What about my horse, Charger?”
“He’s fine, although no one is sure what you did to that one bandit. To be honest it has rattled quite a few that you did that spell without words.”
“To be fair I didn’t even know what I was doing. I didn’t even know I had magic until then.”
“Best keep that to yourself for now. It looks like you still need rest so I’ll let you be.”
The next two weeks passed by in a blur. Fletcher, when not resting, worked on regaining the strength in his right arm, training the villagers who had armed themselves from the bandit’s equipment, and trying to understand his new ability. As near as he could determine, from his limited knowledge, his magical power was different from the norm. He only dared to try little things not wishing to spend too much time sleeping but wanted to know more. His control was spotty and without his full concentration the wrong object would move or the wrong target be hit.
As the sun was setting, Fletcher was checking up on Charger and as he was oft to do when they were alone he was talking out load. “I have to wonder how often someone can just use magic without words; I suspect it is not many. It seems to be very dangerous and I’ll need quite a bit of training to use this power right. The rest of the Brotherhood needs to know I’m okay and hopefully I can get some answers about my new power from the First Knights. Anyway see you tomorrow my friend.”
As he was leaving to go to bed Charger nudged him and his face seemed to say “Don’t worry about everything.”
“I’ll do my best Charger, night.”