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Post by Joe on Jul 14, 2014 18:20:18 GMT -5
Andal nodded at her words, "I know that all too well." His eyes turned downward, "Can you tell me why? Why it is you care for me? I'm not like other men.. I am old, you have seen the darkness in me." He went to place his hand on the hilt of his sword but felt its absence, sighing.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 14, 2014 22:03:46 GMT -5
She bent forward and placed her elbows on her knees, and folded her hands beneath her chin, regarding his awkwardness with a light humor, her eyes sparkling. It truly was endearing. “Why should that matter?” she asked bluntly. “You do not give yourself enough credit, Andal. You are a fine and handsome man, and your age suits your wisdom.” She smiled, her eyes lighting up. “You do have a darkness, indeed… but you harness it to protect those you care about. People like me, I imagine.”
Ro was not toying with him, she had waited a very long time to speak with him about this very matter, and she intended to allow the moment to last, if only this…
“I care about you because that is how I feel about you, my Lord. If you feel that this darkness inside you is evil, then you are a better man for the fact that you do not use it for ill. Do you think yourself a stained sinner, perhaps? I have blood on my hands as well, Andal, and I grow older every day. Is it wrong of me to wish to relish the time we have together?”
She sobered. "Today I thought I lost you forever."
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Post by Joe on Jul 16, 2014 18:54:15 GMT -5
"I.. AGH!" Doubling forward, Andal clutched his stomach.
I think you're forgetting your promise.
Andal turned to the side, scowling.
I never forgot.
"Forgive me.. I have to go." Andal put his free hand to his forehead, sighing as he left the room.
---
Cartell swept his shadowed claws in an arc, splitting the flesh of a dozen Illios footmen in front of him. Warm blood splashed his face, and he wiped it away smearing it across his cheek. The Holland line pushed forward with a rallying cry carving into the Illios. Cartell laughed, the rush of murder driving his mind towards mania. "Kill them!" He cried, "Drive them before us!" With a smirk he ran forward with his men, turning the dark green of the fields to crimson.
The commanders of the Illios were dragged before him, falling to their knees, their armor disheveled and torn. The winds blew across the ruined field, carrying the smell of blood, dirt, and fire. The wisps of shadow were now crawling towards his neck, it grew with every death, blood fed it. Cartell's officers sat astride horses beside him, carrying their banner in the wind. He stepped forward, walking across the row of the four men looking them over. They held their heads low, some of them cowering away from the whispers the shadows swept into their minds.
"We are royalty, little lord. We should be treated with honor."
Cartell's head snapped to the man at the head of the row, who wore a faux crown and red velvet beneath his stained chainmail.
"You call me a heretic. Were I your prisoner would you treat me with honor? Honorably burn me? Or would you stone me? Perhaps the oubliette!?" Cartell charged to the man and struck him, sending him to his back. Cartell stepped over him, grabbing his neck and cocking his arm back, the shadowy claws glistening. "And the people you slaughtered and raped, my people, where was there honor!?" His arm dove into the man's gut, ripping through the flesh as he ripped his intestines onto the ground. The lord screamed in agony, attempting vainly to fight back before Cartell kicked his head. He drove his foot again and again into the man's skull, until all left of his face was a red mass.
Cartell stepped away, taking a deep breath. "Kill them, show no mercy." He past his guards as they approached the row of men, drawing their blades and executing them one at a time.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 16, 2014 19:45:14 GMT -5
Ro shifted to stand, alarmed by the sound of pain inside him. She reached out to him as he made a quick exit. Had she said something she should not have? She sunk back down onto where she had been seated, worried for his abrupt change and his pain, and confused that only moments before he had seemed so open to her.
When he did not return, she shifted to slide onto the bed, desiring to make the best of it, for Andal himself had coaxed them all to rest. Besides, she wanted to be at her best at her full strength, for him.
The other companions made their way, each in succession, into the inn, taking their places where there was room to rest the few hours they had. They had seen Andal and Ro leave together, and they each had their own thoughts about it.
Serena, for one, would heartily give them her blessing should a relationship between them thrive. She wanted dearly for Andal to be happy.
Laying on a fine bed, the best the mayor could provide to royalty, her thoughts turned from them to Cartell. She sighed and rolled to her side, fatigued but in no state to sleep. He had not made a reply to her letter, and she wondered if he had even read it. He had left abruptly without notice that eve at Lord Varic’s home near Cairn’s Crossing. After he had professed his love for her it had pained her greatly to tell him that she would think upon it… No more words had been exchanged. Perhaps he had changed his mind about her? But it could not be that, not with the deep caring they had felt for one another. She had loved him, and yet…
No answer, no word.
Pain and frustration brought tears in her eyes and she did not wipe them away as they rolled down her cheeks to wet the sheets beneath her head. She closed her eyes and eventually drifted to sleep, feeling a great amount of grief for the way they had parted.
She had no idea of the evils he was capable of…
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Post by Joe on Jul 24, 2014 22:10:43 GMT -5
Dawn came to Eastover, the soldiers in the town mobilizing to continue their retreat. Andal had slept little, he spent the last few hours preparing their caravan of horses for travel. They had all the provisions they needed to make the final journey to Duskwell. He had also had the local smith provide him a new blade. It wasn't much compared to his old one, but it would suffice for battle. He sighed, wincing at the pain still present in his body and arm. Slumping against the wall of the stable he waited for the others to rise, trying to keep his mind blank, for his thoughts would not stray from her; and it did not like that.
---
The siege was over, the Illios were retreating back to their lands for the time being, his citizens and soldiers praised him as a hero and worthy heir. Yet, something inside him still felt empty. Cartell sat on his bed, preparing to lie down. He reached to the desk beside his bed, retrieving Serena's letter, once again stretching out the wrinkles where he had crumpled it the first time. He read it again, a more intense frown growing on his face as he did.
The wardrobe next to his bed creaked. Cartell looked up, squinting at the source of the sound. The shadows within shifted, the light from his bedside candle refracted off something. It looked wet, round, alive..
A form burst from the wardrobe, the doors slamming the hinges, a dagger thrust forward. Cartell cried out and pulled back as the man grabbed for him, but he was too slow. The dagger caught his face and he felt the flesh tear across his face, and his right eye went black. Cartell yelled in shock and pain, tumbling over the back of the bed and onto the floor. The assassin fumbled for his footing as his other arm missed its target. Cartell crawled to his hands and knees as blood and vitreous dripped from his face. Behind him he heard the door to his washroom open, a second assassin quickly stepped out from the bath reaching for his blade. The assassin tried to pull it from its sheathe but the hilt caught on the bath's curtain, creaking as he struggled to free it. Cartell reached under the bed, retrieving a dagger, a trick Andal taught him long ago. Cartell growled and leapt at the assassin in the bath, stabbing him a few times before the bleeding man grabbed his hand and they began to struggle for the blade, falling to the ground. He heard the first assassin stepping up behind them, Cartell looking back in anticipation of the blow. The man had a sword now, and he swung it in an arc hoping to take Cartell's head. Swiftly ducking, Cartell dodged the blow and the sword loudly struck the marble bath, splintering them with shrapnel.
Cartell pushed himself backwards, the man behind him tumbling over him and landing on the other. Cartell stood, rushing to his blade beside the door but a hand caught his foot and he fell again. He heard someone stand over him and the icey stab of dread in his stomach made him feel death was close. The sound of flesh pierced by steel whispered over him and warm blood spilled on him, but it was not his own. Cartell quickly crawled away and spun around, his guards had finally kicked through the lock on his door and had ran the assassins through.
The adrenaline began to fade and intense pain pulsed through his face, he reached a hand up, slowly feeling his face. He felt a childish rush of fear and panic as he realized one of his eyes would never see again.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 28, 2014 11:00:28 GMT -5
Ro woke early and joined Andal at the stables, checking the saddle straps for tightness, wanting her fingers to work and be useful. She cast a glance at Andal and smiled softly, turning her eyes away to pay attention to the saddles. The others joined them one by one, bleary eyed but ready to continue on their journey. All thoughts were of the Princesses’ safety and there was a serious air about them. The Princess and Lord Klaus joined them last, and Serena rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Ever since the siege, Klaus had remained at her side. He had thrown a wool soldier’s cloak over her clothing, allowing her to change into her usual attire. He helped Serena on her horse and was ready to mount his own when all eyes turned to a villager running towards them, puffing for breath,
“Take me with you, please…” His chest heaved, having run to seek the party out. “I don’t want to stay here.” He stood up straight, and puffed out his chest with bravado. “I will help you protect the Princess.”
Ro stopped what she was doing and turned to the man, speaking flatly. “We need no one else, villager, return to your home…”
Klaus eyed the man and humored hum, pulling out his heavy broadsword. “Aye, and can you even heft a sword, lad?”
“I can,” the villager eyed the sword, knitting his brow.
Klaus flipped the flat of the blade around, offering the hilt and handle towards him. “Show me.”
The villager swallowed and straightened himself up, swaggering to take the two-handed blade from him. Klaus let it go as soon as the man had it in his hands, stepping back a distance, and crossed his arms, watching as the sword’s point hit the ground, singing out in protest.
“Careful, that sword is worth more than you,” he said disapprovingly.
The villager nodded fervently and proceeded to try and lift it up, his stance all wrong, his arms wobbly. A look of hope crossed his face when he indeed hefted it up, but he could not heft it for long. He began to stumble backwards as the blade proved awkward in his hands, then twisted his arms to the side, the point again landing heavily into the ground. Klaus swore and removed his sword from the villager’s hands and wiped the soil from the blade, sheathing it on his back.
“You are of no use to us,” Ro waved him away dismissingly.
The man cast a glance around at the others, but he would find no sympathy, except perhaps from Serena. Her face was drawn and pale, and she said nothing in his defense. The villager slumped his shoulders, walking away in the direction he had come.
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Post by Joe on Jul 28, 2014 19:26:03 GMT -5
Andal let the villager go, any man could be trained to be capable but they had not the time or manpower to spare for such a task. If he joined them he would only end up dead, or he could be an enemy agent - the only reason those who were with them were present was because they had been especially chosen.
Andal stepped to his horse, mounting it with some effort, his broken arm still cast and slung. He turned, addressing the others, "In times of war, the young will feel restless, but I will not have his death on my conscience. Come, we ride hard for Duskwell." Andal kicked at his horse and galloped out of the small town, heading west towards the woods of Vermillon.
The great pine wood of Vermillion stretched for miles, it was the only obstacle between them and the home province. In the time of the Golden Kingdom it was well patrolled and maintained by the Royal Rangers. These days, it was neglected and barely inhabited. The enormous pines began to envelop them, dozens of feet wide and a hundred feet tall. It was dark within, even though the dawning sun was shining in a clear sky.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 28, 2014 22:24:47 GMT -5
The company followed Andal’s lead, kicking their horses into a gallop. Once in the trees, progressed slowed only enough to weave their way through the trees. Serena was directly in the middle of her protectors, Klaus right behind on his horse. Ro and the men each had their own horses again, and no one need share a saddle, much to their relief.
As they hurried on, Serena’s mind was not completely on the road. Her horse had learned to follow those ahead out of habit. Her face was cast in full shadow, hidden beneath the hood of her coarse cloak. Soon they would be at last at Duskwell, and their journey was near to its end. She would soon be crowned, a duty she had become used to the idea, though it still terrified her. She hoped that none of her companions would leave her then, especially Klaus, who she saw as a fatherly figure, and enjoyed his long tales of his life and his adventures, for he had many.
Ro watched Andal’s back, her own body close to her mount’s neck as they hastened towards Duskwell. His change of behavior mystified her. Duskwell was the goal, and perhaps the end of her time beside the princess, unless the Princess requested her directly. It had not escaped her notice that Klaus and the young woman were close, and she felt no alarm in this. Klaus was a companionable man and he would have been her first choice to be her personal guardian. None of the others, perhaps, save Andal, though the others had more than enough proved their loyalty.
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Post by Joe on Sept 28, 2014 17:22:50 GMT -5
Weeks passed on the road as they traveled through the heartlands of the former Golden Kingdom. They passed through vibrant green farmlands and shimmering fields of grass but the landscape began to grow darker as they neared Duskwell. The former capital had been thoroughly sacked and the Illios had extensively employed scorched earth doctrine when they were finally finished. The war raged in the east, they had not received a messenger in some time, they knew not how their forces fared.
Staring at the blackened walls of the city Andal gazed upward. A chilling wind blew over the wall, tattered flags shaking in the air. Through the cracks in the enormous splintered gate a ruined city lay silent, the towering palace on the sea beyond no longer shined in the sun, its golden and brass trimmings rusted and ruined. Dark, booming clouds hung overhead, shrouding the fallen metropolis in perpetual night.
Seeing it all again, Andal was overwhelmed with emotion, his gaze falling back to the gate before them. "It's been like this since she died.. the sky itself refuses to smile." He pushed his horse forward, passing through the splinters of the gate into the forsaken streets.
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Post by Jenny on Oct 2, 2014 15:51:48 GMT -5
A hush fell over the companions when they rode through the blackened ruins of the old kingdom’s borders, and Serena paled visibly. These were not the green and rolling lands she had dreamed of surrounding a gleaming castle. The land was charred, dead, having not yet recovered from the desolation brought upon by the Illios. They halted beside the city gates and Serena’s eyes roamed over the shell of what surely had once been a vibrant city. She could make no mark of the flags that had once flown proudly. A cold sweat touched her brow as she thought of the people that had once lived here. They had all been slaughtered and burned, all because of some stupid war. She swallowed hard as they went on, ducking low and meekly as they passed through the ruined and yawning gates. It smelled of old smoke and charred wood, the grating twisted and blackened.
Monsters, every last one of them, led by a tyrant king… So much senseless death here.
Ro watched Andal's back, her mouth forced into a thoughtful frown. He was in pain, and rightly so. How she wished that he could find peace. This shell of a castle drove out any sense of cheer, and it weighed heavy on even she.
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Post by Joe on Feb 18, 2015 23:31:59 GMT -5
Andal brought the party to the foot of the palace. Dismounting, he lit a torch and held it up, causing the luster of the ruined steps to shine dimly. The palace loomed over them, its ominous darkness causing it to feel like the maw of a great beast. He led them up the stairs into the vestibule; the walls and floors were completely bare, all luxury and decor having been stripped long ago. Even much of the gilded services had been scraped clean or defaced. Doors lay splintered, a massive chandelier lay shattered in the middle of the floor. Andal remained silent, a stern look of concentration on his face; without pause he led them onward.
They emerged into an enormous foyer, a large fountain and reflecting pool was empty before them, vines reaching up from its depths. Two grand staircases wrapped around the fountain, leading towards an upper landing. He led them up the stairs to a large door, the image of a sun carved across its face. The door was too massive to be stolen and thus it had been left. Andal leaned against it with a grunt and it slid open surprisingly easily, years of greasing and polishing having served their purpose.
Within the doors was a hall, several hundred feet long. It stretched far away from the rest of the palace, over the sea. The many windows on its walls were ruined and shattered, and a wind blew harshly through the hall stirring the smell of salt and seaweed. Andal turned to Serena, holding out his hand, "My lady, your highness, welcome to your throne." He spoke as he lead her down the hall. An enormous well of some kind came into view at the end of the hall, great ruined statues of angels stood at both sides holding their wings towards the sky where a great stained glass dome aligned with the well. A once gilded walkway wrapped around the well and led upwards towards a grand throne overlooking the well. "This is the Duskwell, where the eternal light of the west once shone." Andal turned to Serena, his tone softening. "It's time I told you.." He took a deep breath and lowered his eyes, "You were not a sole heir, you had a sister. Aurelia, was her name." He closed his eyes, "We were.. close. We were once to be wed." He looked back to the well, "She was poisoned.. died slowly. When she did, the well was finally extinguished. It is time to light it again."
Andal reached into a pocket, retrieving a golden-chained necklace. He held it up before Serena, letting the pendant dangle before her. The pendant was the symbol of a phoenix, a dim amber stone set in its center. Something shone within the stone as it neared her skin. "Take it."
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Post by Jenny on Feb 19, 2015 0:12:09 GMT -5
Serena felt her heart heavy as she followed Andal, surrounded by the party on all sides. She felt suffocated though the palace was enormous, perhaps because her moment had finally come and she felt all at once overwhelmed and sober, older than herself. The only light in the palace was the torches and they made everything shimmer in shadow. Dark, dark, everything was so dark here. Her eyes darted everywhere, wide and staring. Every shadow jumped out at her as if it were a snake ready to bite. She felt herself lagging behind and jogged a little to keep up. Her feet crackled over the old vines at the edge of the fountain, dry as dust from the lack of a water source. Dead, like everything else.
She waited patiently as Andal opened the door, almost not wanting to go on, because she felt very lonely here even among company. There was no cheer in the room, not a strip of cloth to be seen to cheer the walls. Their feet crunched glass as they paced down the hallway. Howling wind whistled fiercely through the glass and Serena couldn’t help but shiver. She smelled the sea and her nostrils flared at the scent of it.
Serena took Andal’s hand obediently, allowing her to lead her. His hand felt firm and reassuring. She tightened her grip on it as they walked. She listened to his sorrowful story and tears began to glisten in her eyes and fell down her cheeks despite not wanting to let them fall. “I’m sorry.” Truly, she was without family in this world. She felt sorry for Andal and for the sister she never knew.
Ro watched Andal carefully, a fire in her belly at the sound of Aurelia's name. She saw the guarded pain on his face. He was holding back so strongly. It was clear he didn't want to make the girl any more sorrowful than she already looked. she noticed that Serena's form shivered as if her clothes were paper thin and the wind blew right through them.
"Go ahead, Lass. Take it. It's your birthright." Klaus said encouragingly. "Make the Duskwell shine again."
Serena swiped the back of her hand over her face and released Andal's hand, taking the necklace into her hand. She watched as the light grew brighter and brighter at her touch.
How would she manage to relight the Duskwell? She felt so small.
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Post by Joe on Feb 19, 2015 0:35:12 GMT -5
The amber stone flashed blindingly, tendrils of golden light suddenly shot up from the well, their warmth whirling the air around them into a tempest. The light began to envelope Serena, feeling like warm sunlight. Suddenly, Andal grabbed Serena's wrist bringing a hidden dagger out from his robe and slashing her hand, letting the blood drip into his hand. Not releasing his grip he held his hand up to the well, her blood slowly trailing down his arm. He began to shake as an ethereal shadow pooled out from his eyes and slowly traveled up his arm, enveloping his body and lifting him up from the floor. The room began to shake and the golden light wavered as the shadow consumed Serena's blood, flowing into a cyclone that consumed the well, transforming the golden light to pale green.
The floor rumbled and something bellowed in the depths of the well. Wisps of shadow extended from the well and threw Andal aside, slamming him into the stone wall and onto the ground. Lord Tristan Ondreau ran forward towards Serena, "My lady, away!" He jumped in front of her, pushing her back as the shadows whipped forward, striking him and ripping away his sword. His plumed helmet struck off, he grunted and fell to the side, blood running between the plates of his armor. Klaus charged, pulling Serena yet farther away from the well, he yelled and held up his sword but seemed unsure how to combat this entity.
Tentacles of shadow rushed around the well in a great mass as the floor continued to shake and another deep roar rose from the well. Something was coming.
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Post by Jenny on Feb 19, 2015 0:49:57 GMT -5
Serena closed her eyes but for a moment because the light was so bright, instantly she opened them and looked towards the Duskwell. She couldn’t believe this was happening because of her. She had never once in her life felt something more than she was other than when Andal first approached her. He had given her dignity. He had given her a purpose. He had given her strength. For a moment her thoughts went to Cartel because he had been there for her too. They all had.
She basked in the glow of the light, feeling peace and happiness well up inside her. She didn’t think for a moment that Andal would turn a dagger on her. She gasped and jerked back in surprise but he held her fast. She looked into her eyes, confusion and surprise mingling with momentary pain. To her horror shadows came out of them and her throat constricted in fear and alarm. Her arm went skyward as Andal rose from the ground. She didn’t know what to make of it. She was stunned. She wasn’t even looking at the Duskwell, she could only see out of the corners of her eye that the light changed.
“Why you…” Klaus growled the moment Andal cut his lady’s hand. He didn’t like the looks of what was going and the fear in Serena’s eyes pained him. He began to walk towards the Duskwell, intending to tear the two apart. He paused, his hand unsheathing his sword as the bellow sounded.
Something was amiss. This seemed all wrong to all of them. They hadn’t expected things to take such a turn.
Serena let out a cry of terror as Andal was whisked violently to the side. It was all she could do not to run towards him despite her fears, but Ondreau pushed her back. She stumbled backwards in surprise and another cry sounded from her as her rescuer was cut down by some dark and unseen force. She feared the worst.
“Klaus, no! Everyone stay back!” She pleaded with them.
“My lady!” Ro put her arm around Serena’s body protectively, brandishing a weapon in the other hand. She had no time to see if Andal was all right, she had to protect her lady.
“Something’s wrong!” Serena twisted in panic. “This shouldn’t be happening!” Somehow she knew that there was a darkness inside that well that could consume them all but she was helpless against it. How does one fight what one does not know? Andal would know what to do.
“Andal?!” Serena screamed aloud at his prone and crumpled form.
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Post by Joe on Feb 19, 2015 1:26:14 GMT -5
The edges of the well began to crack, and a horrid form began to emerge. A massive humanoid creature with skin as dark as night, leviathan wings unfolded from its back, sweeping the whole width of the hall. Its eyes shone with a blinding white light, flooding the great hall in sickening, whirling flashes of green and white. Too large to stand up, it crawled out of the well, slouching forward towards them.
The pendant around Serena's neck still flashed its golden light and the nightmare seemed to be staring at it, reaching its long, spindly fingers towards her.
Another boom was heard from the back of the hall, but as the party turned, they were greeted by the light of a dozen torches - beneath them, knights and banners. Cartel lead them, donned in the plate of House Holland, a black eyepatch covering his right eye, and the familiar shadows whirling down his arm into a vicious claw. Even the knights seemed shaken by the image before them, but they rushed forward to the aid of the party. As the knights reached the beast there was a foul echoing of flesh and steel as they did battle. They were thrown, crushed, eviscerated, but they held their ground and hacked desperately at the monster though it did not abate.
"Serena!" Cartel yelled, holding out his hand. The sudden joy of seeing her drowning out the horror that surrounded them.
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