Legacy Of Erebus: The Rebirth

[Elder Methyl]

Homeland, part three: Gariel the Strong

((OOC: The title's a misnomer, as Gariel doesn't really use any strength. But it's still pretty kickass, unlike 'the Psuedo-Monks', so I'm keeping it.))

The orc was surprisingly agile for his size, and managed to dodge Gariel's spear at the last minute. But the Elohim king managed to draw back in order to parry his opponent's axe as it went close to his midsection. He then kicked the orc in the stomach, causing a cry of pain.

The orc replied with a ringing punch that almost broke his spear, if not for its expert workmaship. Gariel attempted to draw back again but the orc now moved to close the distance between them, chopping at him with the stone axe. He had to drop the spear as a result, and resort to unarmed combat. He had participated in his share of brawls back in the Age of Ice, and he was glad that he had not fallen out of practice.

By some sort of luck, he managed to grab the orc's ax handle and wrench it toward him, slowly. The orc was surprised at the move, and almost lost his weapon before reacting with a headbutt. Thankfully, the Elohim king had a bronze helmet on, which barely withstood the blow thank to its good workmanship. It had been a relic from the Age of Magic, though one that predated Kyrolin's discovery of Sorcery.

Nevertheless, he had to throw it away after the headbutt. He ran back to his spear, and stabbed upwards at the orc's shoulder, causing a spray of blood to shoot up. The orc howled in berserk fury, and the king barely dodged several swings. He stabbed the orc in the upper leg, with less bloody results. He then made another grab for his enemy's weapon, and managed to wrench it from the orc's hands. One swing, then two, and the orc's head was a bloody mess.

The body then fell down, crashing to the ground with a loud thump. The first specks of dawn had already appeared on the horizon, coinciding with the Elohim's cries of victory. The orcs, their morale lowered by the death of one of their foremost warriors, began to leave. Gariel let them. The Elohim had dealt heavy causalties on their enemies already, and a push can be made later. For now, let his people rest.

He walked back towards the palace. It was a good thing the figthing had not reached there.

Edit:

The next story will be titled The Pool of Tears, Part One: Enion at Foxford.

 

[lemonjelly]

Valledia walked into the High Council halls, and crossed the marble floors, to a round table where three other people were already seated. First was Dain, with his usual plain cloak, today a rich purple, and massive mechanical timepiece sitting on his wrist. Lorelei, the youngest seated at the table, was wearing a plain blue dress, neatly coupled with the glowing blue jewels, three on a silver chain around her neck, and one beautifully crafted to look like a flower, sitting in her dark hair. The third figure sitting at the table was the most unusual, for instead of hair, she had long, flowing feathers, each one a different shade of green, her eyelashes were long and green, like a frame around each one of her piercing emerald eyes. The air around her seemed to crackle and shift, and as Valledia sat into the seat next to her, she could feel the etheral energies that the newcomer was radiating.

As the meeting progressed, Valledia found out that the newcomer's name is Lialei, she came from the southernmost Amurite city, Lindell. As she described her hometown, the air seemed to thicken, and slowly the room started to morph, until there was the ornate table and four chairs, placed in the woodlands. The wind was full with birdsong, strange, beautiful sounds that had never been heard in the slightly chilly main Amurite strongholds. They saw the simple city, built in the woods, and Lialei described, in her singsong voice, how they settled there, when it was a field, against the mountain. One day, a cavern was found, and the villagers slowly cut through the rock, until they uncovered the most extraordinary site, for in the cave was a small grove, and in all the walls grew glistening crystals, green and gold. And, once the cavern was found, the magic spread, carried in each of the villagers, letting the plants grow around the village.

After the meeting, Valledia and Dain took Lialei into the library, and took out the Codex Etta, a book full with all the arcane knowledge they had collected over the years, and together, through the night they worked, until, finally, after much debating, the twin types of Nature and Creation were filled in.

(OOC: Lialei is my new character, a mage that's attuned to both Nature and Creation. She's edited her appearance, and is rather good at illusions.
This is how she looks:

Spoiler :

I plan to write some more about her and the city of Lindell.)

 

[Zugvogel]

Journey to the North - The black velvet band

Spoiler :

During the days after the fight with the orcs, Aleph found out a lot of things about the strange woman he had rescued from the corrupted men. Her name was Ena. She was a witch, or more appropriately phrased a female human with magic abilities. She hailed from a region several days to the north at the foot of the omnipresent, constantly looming but as far as Aleph knew still nameless mountainrange. She had been born there, born and brought up among a people that were called the Balseraph. From what she described, it seemed like a big mad parade. And not one of the pleasant sort, as it seemed. Ena told him of a king that was commonly called “the mad jester”, but only when people thought he would not find out. Unfortunately, he did find out, though. According to Ena, he was a powerful master of magic and an expert at breaking other people’s minds.
Ena told Aleph that there once had been a time during her childhood were the mad jester had controlled all of the Balseraph by the sheer power of his thoughts. She had been born a puppet, she had lived a puppet. And then, one day, she and her brother Ilo - that was the man the orcs had slain before Aleph killed them - had been on an errand that had send them far from the dominion of Perpentarch. And slowly, for the first time in her life, she had felt a free will.
She and her late brother had not hesitated a second. They both knew that their only hope for a future, any future at all, was to get as far away from the crazy court as possible. Her brother had been an acrobat and those never got old. And Ena...well Ena had been born with the talent, which meant that, sooner or later, she would have come to the attention of her king. And madness was the only possible outcome if you caught the fool king’s attention.
And ever since, she and her brother had been running south until the day they were ambushed by the orcs. They both had escaped the Balseraphs mad embrace, but neither of them had gone unharmed. What afflictions Ilo had been bearing, Ena would not tell. But she, herself, had been smitten by phases of apathy. One of which had grabbed her as the orcs jumped at them.
Aleph also found out that raven black was indeed her natural colour and that she liked it when he...

Anyways, this development had been a real surprise for him, because for the first time since probably when he had found out that a man could do more things with his penis than just loose water, he had not been flirting with the next girl at hand. (Which of course would have been Ena. They were in the wilderness, after all.) He was no total jerk. The girl had just lost her brother.
But nonetheless, they had ended up in the blankets on the very first night they were travelling together.
At first, he had marked it down to some fear-thing (not knowing the word “psychological&#8221, shock, the loss of a loved one, being rescued, what ever. He had not objected, however.
But in the days that followed Aleph also learned that Ena was also a hard person in her own way, curious and dangerously intelligent. Which wasn’t that surprising since that was the only breed of human that survived these days.
And since she was as has been said before not entirely stupid and not blind either, it also was not surprising that she had realised that Aleph was more than an “ordinary” travelling swordsman (quite a paradox). It would have been hard to miss after he had flung a big orc some five yards through the air and skewered him on a tree.
She had been asking him about this ever after, subtly first, bluntly later. And he suspected that she was also sleeping with him to find out the secrets of his art. He didn’t object to that, either. He was not going to tell her anything about the windswords, though.

Eventually, they reached a crossroad: Either they could head west and reach what the few other travellers and huntsmen had called the “peaceful realm of the Kuriotate” (Ena and her brother had slipped past it once before, desperate to put as many miles between them and the crazy kingdom) or they could head further east and north. A path that would in the end lead them to the Balseraph Ena so dreaded.
It was not much of a discussion, really. For Ena, there was no going back to the Balseraph. And since she had learned the hard way that the wilderness in the far south wasn’t a good place to be either, she was determined to try her luck with King Cardith. Aleph, however, was also determined: Determined to find the lost steading of his order, up in the far north.
In the end, he pretended to give in to Enas pleas to come with her to the Kuriotate. In truth, however, he intended to sneak away before dawn. The girl would find her way to safety herself.
Under slightly different circumstances, this plan had worked for him countless times before. It was a good plan. Right up until the point where it went wrong.

When he woke next morning, the first thing he noticed that it was day already. The second thing was that he couldn’t move. Pinned above him to a tree was a note. It was written in a shaky handwriting, as if created in the dark by a person not too well at letters. As if to be a compensation, the letters were big, though. It read:

”Dear Aleph,
I am afraid that I can’t quite believe you - neither in your agreement to go with me to the Kuriotate nor in your pretended ignorance towards your...”trick”. I think you have been lying to me. That is okay. Your lies are not harmful. But I won’t swallow them anymore, either. Thus I have left you, before you could leave me.
But I also have left you with something: A choice. Go down the road to madness if you want. But before you go, take care: You will notice that your Pegasus-amulet is gone. I have it. I knew from the moment I saw you that it is a symbol of Tali. The mad king likes your god, too.
With luck, it will help me unriddle who you are...what you are. And if you want to have it back...you will know where to find me,

Ena”

Ps: The paralysis spell should wear of two hours after dawn. I’ll try to send somebody in a few days just in case it doesn’t.

The spell did wear off, however. Sooner than expected. Though he knew it was useless, Aleph’s first move was to his throat. Indeed, his amulet was missing. He smiled. The clever, stupid girl. Got everything right and everything wrong all at once. The amulet was just an amulet. There was nothing to it other than the belief people put into it. He’ld miss it, but it wasn’t vital.
The amulet was just an amulet. Ela was just a girl with a sad story. Neither really mattered. He ventured forth, east and north. Towards the mad king’s realm.

Off: Well, that was that small episode. Now, Aleph is definitely going to the Balseraph. Ena is not entirely out of the game, though. She might make an appearance at some later point. We'll see.
On a sidenote: Yeah, I know I am writing a lot of macho-stuff with Aleph. Please try to see it a bit ironical.
On another sidenote: The title. The black velvet band. It's a reference to a song by Dropkick Murphy. It has nothing to do with the story, really. In fact, the text is the about a guy following a girl to his doom. My story is the total opposite to that: A guy walking away from a girl towards what might be his doom.
Why did I use it, then? Well, no reason other than that i did not want to write "The damsels of Erebus II"

 

[lemonjelly]

Os-Gabella barely ventured out of her rooms any more, it had been weeks since she was seen outside of the palace. This was barely unusual behavior, every year, she hid herself away, nobody was really sure why.

A young servant girl was unusually curious in this strange behavior, she had been found in the frozen tundra just out of Sheaim lands, and took a keen interest in Os-Gabella's actions, no matter how much anybody told her that it wasn't safe. Today though, she done the unthinkable. When the cooks backs were turned, she stole some food, a few lumps of bread and some cheese, and took them up into the cold stone castle.

She didn't hesitate, knocking her fists on the ancient wooden door, and when there was no reply, she opened the door, slowly, looking round it, in possibly the biggest, most lavishly decorated room in Sheaim lands. On the cold, stone floor, sitting, just staring, was her mistress. The young girl walked over, with the bread and cheese, and put her hand on Os-Gabella's shoulder. The ancient woman looked around, and stared at the young girl.

"I've brought you food, it helps to comfort the soul, that's what my mama always told me." The young girl stared at Os-Gabella, as she slowly stood up, and towered over her.

"Well, your mama is dead, is she not?"

"Yes ma'am, she's at peace now."

"Peace, peace? Do you know about the afterworld, I do, I've been there, and returned! Do not talk to me about peace!"

"But, her soul never left Erebus, when we were in the north, my mama got ill, and we walked for weeks and weeks, and she didn't get no better, until a woman came and found us, a strange sort of woman, her skin was paler than the snow and the moon, but she was kindly she was, and she took me and my mama in, and on her last night, we got told about this woman, and how she can take a persons soul, to make her live longer, and that night, as my mama died in her arms, she took her soul, done her a kindness, and after we buried her, the woman explained to me about the gods, and the afterworld, and about you ma'am, and she took me to your borders, where your men found me."

"What was this woman's name?" Os-Gabella said sharply.

"Her name was Alexis, she told me to give this to you, and to tell you that Flauros had passed over." The girl handed Os-Gabella an ornate letter F, on a thin silver chain.

 

[Elder Methyl]

The Pool of Tears, Part 1: Enion at Foxford

Spoiler :

"Are you sure about this, Gariel - I mean my king?"

It had been several days since the failed assault, and the Elohim army had finally made a counterattack on the orcish raiders. The latter had been unprepared for such an organized defense, which explained the sudden rout after the death of their champion by Gariel's spear.

"Yes, my friend. I'll pursue the remnants of the Orcish raiders, while you finally try to make some headway towards finding the sacred places for our people. We will need their power if we are to heal Erebus of its ills."

"I understand. I presume that you've already prepared the boat?"

"I sent the orders just yesterday. It's actually closer to a Galley than a fishing boat, but it has no defenses. The trip ought to be short, though, so you may not need one. Then, go inland and take as much time as you need. Cahir will be safe under me and Anna."

"Thank you. I promise I won't fail in my task."

---

That was two weeks ago now. Since then, he and his band of healers and students had made a short trip across the strait that divided their island from the continent. They would have landed at the lands of the Dragon King, but they realized that doing so would involve them in formal diplomacy, which would require time that they did not have. Shortly after landing, they told the remaining crewmembers to go back to the island, and to return once after a year had passed. Something would happen within that year, he predicted. He hadn't quite recived a portent, but the enormity of the quest was such that he could expect interference from 'interested parties' before the year was up.

Now, he and his party of a dozen students and healers were at Foxford, a town situated several miles inland. They had tought to ask for food and supplies there, but instead gave what they had to the inhabitants, after seeing that they were in no position to give anyting. They had been mistrustful at first, and for good reason, but due to the fact that they were desperate and the newcomers were still their best hope, they finally told their story to Enion and his companions.

"I see. And what happened after this Servant of Tali left?"

A washerwoman; short and stocky, spoke: "The Werewolf - or Werwolves kept attacking the village, killing or turning those that were unlucky enough to fall into their Camulos-dammned claws. Our Elder died just a few weeks ago, one of the few good things the beasts did for the town. "

"I see. So, how many of them are there?"

A seedy-looking man who looked as if he was in the throes of a hangover replied: "At least several dozen lurking in that old ruin and the nearby woods. If you really plan to get them all, you would need an army, or a lot of time."

Enion looked at Kideran and Jared, who he had brought with him. Beyond them were ten other students studying the arts of the Monk. There were also seven healers, who had volunteered for the dangerous mission knowing the risks they have to take. The Monks only had maces, newly forged from the iron used by the orcish raiders that had attacked Cahir.

They were not an army. He may not even have the time. Yet even so, what was he searching for the Pool of Tears for, if not for the people of Erebus? Besides, if he did not curb the Werewolves growth now, Foxford may yet be the starting point for a new menace upon the world.

"Very well. I will do what I can for your town. If you can lend us one of the abandoned houses, perferably one which is close to the center of the town, I think that I and my party can help."

The next story will be titled: The Pool of Tears, part two: Plague's End.

((OOC: As I made up Enion's Proto-Monk students before I was told that the eastern influence was going to be removed, they're still going to do some Wuxia-ish stuff. However, they now have western-style maces. Their appearance, when described, will also look like Western Monks rather than eastern.))

Edit: Moved the title.

Edit Two: I forgot to say this, but I'm also extending this story arc by another chapter, as this took longer than expected.

Edit Three: Corrected the spelling of "Plague".

 

[lemonjelly]

Lialei was walking through the streets of Lindell, wandering through the maze-type city, heading towards the looming mountain. Dain and Lorelei kept close to her heels, eyes shifting quickly from one sight to another, for the city was full of new sights, from the bright, colourful birds sitting in the various trees, exotic, glossy fruits hanging tantalizingly near the arm-span of an average Amurite.

When they reached the foot of the mountain, Lialei said a few words to two mages chatting at the entrance, one of them stood up and placed his hands out, palm upwards, in front of the two mainland Amurites. Recognizing the magic radiating out of him, they let their presence be scanned, and then, when he made sure that they were who they really are, he released the illusion covering the cavern mouth.

They walked in, and the massive cavern inside the mountain was full with strange, almost crystalline flowers. Sitting amongst the twisted tree trunks were a group of mages, each one's appearance revealing how attuned to the mana they were.

After about an hour of general conversation, Dain and Lorelei were led deeper into the cave, until they got into what must be the heart of the mountain. This cavern was full with the hum of power, and a giant tree, made out of stone, each branch full with crystal leaves, each one a deep green hue. Deep in the heart of the tree, was a massive, golden crystal, splitting up, spreading into the tree, like veins through the body.

 

[Zugvogel]

A song: Ill Winds
Origins unknown, first to be heard in the southern lands.
(Same rythm as: "What Shall We Do With A Drunken Sailor")

"What can you do when the ill winds blow?
What can you do when the ill winds blow?
What can you do when the ill winds blow,
Cold all around you?

Run, run, o run for shelter!
Run, run, o run for shelter!
Run, run, o run for shelter!
'Ere the storm bites you!

What can you do when the bladewinds howl?
What can you do when the bladewinds howl?
What can you do when the bladewinds howl?
Havoc all around you?

Run, run, o run for shelter!
Run, run, o run for shelter!
Run, run, o run for shelter!
'Ere the storm devours you!

What can you do when the Wandrer comes?
What can you do when the Wandrer comes?
What can you do when the Wandrer comes?
Whistling down the roadside?

Run, run, o run for shelter!
Run, run, o run for shelter!
Run, run, o run for shelter!
'Ere the Foxman finds you!"

 

[Elder Methyl]

The Pool of Tears, Part 2: Plague's End.

Spoiler :

It had been seven days and seven nights since Enion's party came to Foxford, and Kideran found his present fight no easier than the other ones. He ducked the sweeping claws of his opponent, but was unable to counterattack due to the fact that his opponent's maw had wrenched his mace from him. Usually, he managed to attack from the rooftops, braining the enemy before they caught sight or scent from him. Now, it was different.

"Damn you and your Camulos-damned friends!" He drew close to the Werewolf, scoring a lucky punch to the spleen with his left hand. His opponent howled in fury, and Kideran found himself being stretched to his limits in order to avoid being torn to shreds. He retreated towards the corner of one of the houses, where the healers had left a special bag of powder to be used for such an eventuality.

He tossed it at the beast, who began to howl in fury, clawing himself where the powder had landed, including his eyes. The student watched closely for a few moments, before his enemy finally fell into the ground, heaving. Then, all movement stopped.

Aconite Jane, the assistant to the Chief Healer had said. Also called Wolfsbane for certain properties that will be useful to us. There are also other ingredients, taken from the local plant life. They can serve as either medicine or poison, according to the method of their preperation.

He had expressed repugnance at that time, saying that they shoudn't resort to such tactics. But Jane replied that this was only a contingency, just in case they weren't able to offset the superior numbers of their enemies with their training.

It is ultimately up to you whether to use it or not. But remember, you cannot choose death over dishonour this time, as death will only increase the strength of our opponent. Or worse, you may not even be able to succed in dying, and Camulos' curse will be passed onto you.

That prospect had moved him to make his final choice, and use the poisonous powder against his opponent. In the meantime, Jared and the other monks were figthing their own battles, and the student knew that he could not dissapoint them. He checked to see if the Werewolf was truly dead, and after recovering his mace, smashed his head until it was a bloody pulp.
___________________________________________________________________________

The next morning, there was an air of celebration around Foxford. No less than six Werewolves had been killed, and the last one had not been sent back to Camulos by the Near-Monks, but by the town militia itself, equipped with arrows dipped in poison provided by Enion's healers. The nights were now safer, though unberably loud, while the countryside was marginally less dangerous when Enion's students passed through them.

"We have done well this day", said Enion Logos to his party. "This town is still a long way from being safe, but we have given them courage and hope that is founded on truth, and that is good. We do not have all the secrets of the ancient order, but I belive that its spirit stays on within us. Now, we shall make the final move to ensure that this place, and it's people, are safe from what lurks in the night."

"Today, we shall head for the castle. The Militia of this town shall clear the forest, while also sending a force to accompany us in our mission.Whatever comes, let it be said by future generations that we did what we could." And so the final act in the saga of Foxford began.

((OOC: Yet another title that became a misnomer. Anyway, the next chapter, The Cleansing of Foxford really will be the end of Enion's time in Foxford. The Pool of Tears arc will now be extended to six chapters, though.))

Edit: Corrected the spelling of "Plague"

 

[Elder Methyl]

The Pool of Tears, Part Three: The Cleansing of Foxford

Spoiler :

Even with their difficulties in attacking the town, the Werewolves in the castle ruins had never expected to face an attack of such ferocity as they faced now. With bonfires topped with stinky weeds blowing smoke into the castle ruins, Near-Monks moving with superhuman speed to counter their every move, and arrows topped with poison showering into their bodies at the first opportunity, it was clear that the game had changed, and no more was the offensive theirs.

"Kideran, behind you!"

The student whirled behind to kick a Werewolf's arm aside, before breaking its shoulder with his mace. He then drew back to allow two Foxford Archers to shoot poisoned arrows at its eyes, causing his enemy a quick death.

"It's different in the day and with smoke, isn't it?" Jared spoke from where he had been watching for any attempt to circumvent their position.

"Indeed! You wouldn’t recognize them as the monsters we once faced in the dark!" Kideran then directed the fire of the bowmen towards a rustling hedge, killing another would-be attacker. The beasts had been falling left and right to their assault, having gorged themselves on easy pickings for too long.

Then one of the healers, Aston, approached the motley group.

"Brother Kideran! Our supplies of Poison are dwindling! We also don't have enough stinky herbs or kindling to sustain the fires for more than half-an hour. If we don't get all of them soon, then this would all be for nothing!"

"Then we press on!" Jared said. "I, Aston, and one of the Archers would press on towards the ruins of the inner keep, where the Main Group-"

"No, I alone will go. Master Enion would not want us to allow those beasts to get through while we're busy helping him. If we allow the town to fall in his absence, it would be the same as stabbing him in the back." Then he was off before anyone could have replied.

___________________________________________________________________________

There were signs of a skirmish in the Great Hall, where several Werewolves lay dead, along with several Foxford Militia. Thankfully, all of the latter had died instantly, instead of beginning their transformation into the beasts and then being killed by their fellows. Kideran had distaste for that part of the conflict, as did Master Enion, but:

If we had the time Jared had said, maybe we could do something about them. The Gods know how many secrets are there in Erebus, and maybe one of them could help those who have been afflicted. But as it stands, we don't even know the location of the Pool of Tears, even though its healing waters may be what we need.

Enion had agreed, but he instructed them to lessen the chances of such occasions as much as possible. As he walked on, Kideran thanked Sirona for the fact that so far, they had succeded.

He found Enion's group in the dungeons, where another Near-Monk, Aldrin, was locked in a duel with a Werewolf bigger and stronger than any they had encountered before. There were already several gashes on the crude leather armour he had been given to ward off injury. However, the young student showed no sign of giving up, and continued to grapple the Beast, his focus giving him enough strength to equal his opponent.

However, the Werewolf showed much more intelligence than others of its kind, and drew back. His concentration shattered, Aldrin was left open for a wide swing of bestial claws that cut open his stomach, causing a rapid flood of blood on the floor. The rest of the group cried out in shock.

Aldrin began to change almost immediately. Brown, coarse fur emerged all over his body, while sharp, wicked claws emerged from his hands. His body grew gaunt thanks to the change, with ribs poking out of his body. However, the fight showed no sign of abating, with the Werewolves trying to tear each other apart in Feral Rage. However, it was still the bigger one that won, tearing apart the former student's.

"Aldrin!" Kideran rushed at the Blooded Werewolf (for that's what he now knew he was) with his mace, scoring several blows. His enemy tried to retaliate, but the Near-Monk was afire with rage and grief over the death of one of his comrades. He kept hitting the beast's head over and over again with the mace, not stopping even when the Werewolf finally collasped.

___________________________________________________________________________

"You coudn't have prevented it, and neither could we" said Enion to his student in the aftermath of the battle. There had been many losses even in victory, and the town was hard at work building pyres for all that had died, friend or foe.

"I thought we were lucky. but even here, at the beginning of the new age, the malice of the enemy still finds ways to strike at us."

"Such is the price we must pay. However, know that there are rewards as well as costs in this endaevor. The town is safe, at the very least."

"I know. Jared and Aston have agreed to stay just in case some Werewolves survived, and also to glean any secrets they can from the castle's ruins. They're going to continue training the militia, and sustain this village's ties to the Elohim."

"Not just that, but several of the townspeople have expressed an interest in accompanying us in our mission." Enion put his hand on Kideran's shoulder. "Loss is great, but one must move on from it to free himself from the pain."

"You are right, master. You are right." But I will have to become stronger. That much I can do for him. With those toughts, he left for their quarters to rest.

((OOC: Okay, I think the ending was too neat, but I had to end this before it got too long.))