Post by Bounder Boffin on Dec 1, 2008 16:33:06 GMT -5
Prologue: Morna's Plains
Dracaus stood upon a hill overlooking his entire army. His son, Draso stood next to him. Dracaus turned to him, "My son this is where all our preperation brought us too. These plains will be littered with the bodies of man, elf and dwarf alike. A battle for the ages, worthy of remebrance and song. Victory or defeat good will not be diminshed from this earth."
"My father, you fear to fall in battle do you not?" responded Draso.
"Yes, my son I do. The darkness grows and i fear that death will consume me and I will go to my ancestors."
Draso looked down, "If you do fall father, I will take up the throne, my son Maloe shall take the throne from me."
Dracaus nodded, "My son, may i fight by your side until death."
Draso kneeled before his father, "what are your commands?"
"Send the women and those unable to fight to the camps in Morislas."
Draso nodded and stood up. He turned and left his father. Dracaus turned back to the plains and looked them over. Before him stood ranks of soldiers waiting, waiting for battle. Dracaus put on his helm and called for his steed. He mounted and rode to the front of the lines.
Draso walked down the hill and found his wife Sorien standing holding his son. He walked up to her, "Sorien, my love, keep our son safe. For he is the heir to the throne. And you stay safe."
Tears welled up in her eyes, "I will Draso, and if you fall in battle."
She paused and looked at the ground.
Draso touched her chin, "If I fall, I will fall gloriously for the sake of man, for the skae of AKhear and for the sake of you."
He kissed her and stepped back, "Now take Maloe and head for Morislas. Good bye."
she said nothing and walked away. A tear ran down Draso's face. He wiped it away, "There is no need to cry. I must save my emotions for the battle."
Draso touched the hilt of his sword and walked to the tree where he had tethered his horse, he untied it and mounted it. Draso rode to the ranks of men who let him pass. Soon he was with his father at the front of the ranks with Solia, lord of the Elves and Thral, Lord of the dwarves as well as Eldrv, lord of Mitas.
Dracaus was speaking to them giving them orders and preparing them. Draso interrupted his father, "My lord, look the enemy approaches."
Dracaus turned and dismissed the lords to their armies.
Chapter 1: The Quest
Arimus walked over to the balcony of the barracks overlooking the archery range of Akhear with the accounts of Mornas in his hand. New recruits were practicing their skills as archers. To the range's left was the training grounds where other recruits were sparring and practicing their swordsmanship. Arimus' brother Thimarus was showing the sword-fighters his famous parry and slash move that he championed awhile back during a skirmish in the forest of Morislas, which is near Akhear's sister kingdom of Mitas. It is in fact quite the counter attack, very effective. Arimus continued to watch, the archers were not hiting the target at all, maybe once or twice. Better yet their drillmaster was leaned on the wall smoking his pipe. Arimus shooked his head stepped from the balcony and out of the barracks and down the main steps. He entered the archery range. The drillmaster withdrew his pipe and bowed and said, "My lord what brings you here?"
Arimus spoke, "These recruits lack quality."
"They have never fired a bow before, my lord." the drillmaster replied.
"May I instruct for a moment?"
"Of course my lord." he said as he stepped aside letting Arimus into the range.
Arimus walked up a recruit and looked him over, "what is you name son?"
"Silam, son of Silar."
"Ah your the son of Silar, he is good friend of mine. He is an honourable man." Arimus replied.
"My father speaks very highly of you and your brother my lord. Do you wish to take a shot?"
Silam offered the bow to Arimus who grabbed it and looked it over. It was a usual longbow that everyone except for Elves and rangers fought with. They were cheap but effective. Arimus grasped an arrow from the ground. He notched it and took aim at the target. He loosed and hit the bullseye. Silam gave him another arrow. Once again Arimus notched it and loosed it another bullseye just above the first arrow. Arimus gave the bow back to Silam, "Shoot one Silam."
Silam pulled an arrow from his quiver and notched it. He drew in a deep breath and loosed it. The arrow hit the hay at the end of the range. It had flown high of the target, well high. Arimus spoke, "You need to concentrate. You have the skill but you lack the discipline."
Arimus took the bow and an arrow. "hold your arm steady and clear your mind, think only of the target."
He loosed the arrow and it hit the bullseye again. Arimus handed the bow back to Silam. The other archers stopped and watched as he notched another arrow. Once again he took a deep breath and raised the bow. Arimus spoke,"Clear your mind Silam."
Silam closed his eyes and when he opened them he loosed the arrow. It hit the bullseye and shattered one of Arimus' arrows. He let out a relieved breath. "Good shot."
Arimus turned to the drillmaster, "Now, since you are these recruits drillmaster i expect you to be teaching them what i showed Silam here. Not smoking your pipe."
The drillmaster said nothing as Arimus left the archery range and walked over the training grounds where Thimarus was sparring with the blademaster. He stopped to watch. The baldemaster was jabbing with great speed, but Thimarus parried all of his jabs and began to retaliate. He was now in obvious control. Thimarus parried a blow and tripped the man. He then declared victory. Thimarus laughed and spoke, "Good fight Mora."
He helped up Mora who was red in the face, embarassed infront of his pupils. Thimarus was the master of the sword and was renowned around the world. His bow skills were another story that was where Arimus had him beat, but sometimes Arimus would get lucky and win a few spars against his brother. He chuckled and whistled to his brother who walked over. "Embarassing the blademaster eh?"
Thimarus smiled, "maybe, just maybe. Shall we spar brother?"
"Get me a sword."
The recruits gathered around the two lords. Thimarus threw Arimus a sword. He caught it and bent his knees in preperation. Thimarus stepped into the newly formed ring and assumed the same position. Arimus slashed towards Thimarus' legs but is was quickly parried. Thimarus retalliated but spread his legs just far enough for Arimus to duck and gain the upperhand by hitting his brother in the chin with the hilt. Thimarus stumbled back and then smiled, he swung his sword and Arimus parried it only to see Thimarus draw away and spin for the finishing blow. Arimus jumped back and as the blade passed, he charged Thimarus and tackled him. Arimus stood up and declared his victory. The crowd was in an uproar. Arimus laughed and helped up his brother. "Nice try brother."
Thimarus laughed and said, "I was sure that i had you with my last swing. I'm still winning overall though!"
They both laughed, "I must be going Thimarus, I'm going to tell father of my triumphant victory."
"Ha! He'll never believe you!"
Arimus turned and began to walk away,"We'll see, we'll see."
He left the sword on the wall and walked out of the training hall through the grand arch and into the city. Akhear was a fascinating city. It was built in the time of King Dracaus, who was Arimus' grandfather's father, Dracaus had hired elven architects to design the city and dwarves to provide the materials needed to make it. In return for the help Dracaus pledged that this castle would be a safe haven for any race. By doing this Akhear became quite a diverse city.
Arimus walked past a group of swarf merchants who were selling runic axes, they claimed that they were used in the battle on the plains of Morannan. Arimus laughed and walked up a flight of stairs to the King's palace. The guards opened the door and Arimus walked inside. He walked up another flight of stairs then into a hall way leading into the kings room. Arimus walked into his this chamber where he found the king dressed in brilliant robes and bore a sparkling crown, elf make in the kingdom of Gal-Grien. King Thinslan was a bold man, a battlefield mastermind, as many ranger chieftains were. A cunning general. Arimus bowed and greeted his him, "Good Morning father."
Thinslan returned the bow and greeted his son. Arimus stared intently into his father's face trying to determine his mood. Thinslan spoke with a dignified voice,"Arimus I have recieved word from Tor in Morenas that he has seen peculiar lights over the mounds in the mountains above Morenas."
"Lights, father?"
"Yes, Tor has sent several rangers to investigate and none have returned...."
Arimus asked his father, "Could this be dark sorcery at work?"
"Quite possibly, but Ledorac the wise would not do this he is on our side. As for Malcor the destryoer no one has seen him since Dracaus severly wounded him at Morannan."
Arimus blinked ans said, "You want Thimarus and I to go to the mounds right father."
"Yes you and Thimarus. Oh and Romaan."
Romaan walked into the room from the halls, he was one of Thinslan's famed generals. The Grand Captain of The Akhearen Guard. The elite soldiers of the castle and the personal guardians of the king. "I will be bringing a company of guards to assist us Lord Arimus."
Arimus nodded in approval. Thinslan turned to Romaan, "Prepare your men Romaan."
Romaan bowed and left. Arimus bowed and said, "I'll go get Thimarus and we will prepare."
Arimus walked out of the halls and into the courtyard infront of the king's palace. Thimarus was standing there leaning on a tree eating an apple, "So, did father believe that you defeated me?"
"I never told him, instead he has sent us on a quest, to the mounds."
Thimarus smiled, "You can't be serious. I'm still getting over the last quest we went on."
"I'm serious, and if you wouldn't have fallen off your horse it wouldn't have been that painful of a quest." Arimus said as he bit his tongue. "And besides father is sending Romaan and a company of his men with us just for precautions."
Thimarus finished his apple and tossed it on the ground. He wiped his mouth and started to walk away when he stopped and turned back to Arimus, "Should we go as knights or rangers?"
Arimus shrugged and they made their way to their house. It as elaborate built for a prince, or in this case two princes. They parted at the door and entered their rooms. Arimus was putting on his chainmail, while Thimarus put on his gauntlets. Arimus put on his ranger cloak and put on two knife sheathes around his ankles and a longsword sheath on his back. Arimus sheathed two elven knifes along with the Innis, his greatsword. Innis was the sword of Dracaus's son Draso who fell to the blade of the Nazzhan chief Urg-lap at the Battle of Morannan. Thimarus wielded a similar blade except his blade was named Rada-eve, or the night bane. The once greatsword of the elf captain Oragrey, who also died at Battle of Morannan.
The two stepped from their rooms and into the center room where they looked over each other. Thimarus laughed and said, "You forgot your bow Arimus."
Arimus shook his head and scampered off into his room. Meanwhile Thimarus checked over his pack one more time. Arimus returned and they set off out of the house. Romaan and his men stood at the gate to their house, "We are ready my lords."
"Very good, we will set off as soon as we get to the stables."
Upon reaching the stables the thirteen men mounted and led by Thimarus trotted out of the stables. They trotted in formation, two by two until they reached the gate where the ranger captian Trilor stood, he handed Thimarus his horn and said, "If the horn sounds i and my rangers will ride your aid my princes."
He bowed and backed off onto the side. The gates opened and the company headed out onto the plains. They galloped off towards Morenas and the mounds.
At nightfall the company camped in a valley. The guards were talking alot about what they thought the light over the mounds were. Arimus looked off towards Morenas, and indeed there were lights. It reminded him of when He and Thimarus traversed the mirrored mountains to the north to find the Dwarf settlement of Otrick. The lights were similar and yet so different. Thimarus put his hand on Arimus' shoulder and said, "I pray that that is just an awkward reflection and not-"
"Yes" Interrupted Arimus, "I hope its not that."