-last edited on Jun 11, 2017 20:51:10 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 11, 2017 20:51:03 GMT
Chapter 194
Leif began to speak, “I am a member of a race known as the Other. For much of our lives we live in immortal, immaterial forms- forms much like pure magic- on another plane of existence. The ultimate goal in our society is to be chosen to attain mortality, for immortality is a curse, not a blessing. As mortals, we can take any humanoid form we desire. Some, like me, choose to be human. Others choose to live as elves, or dwarves, or goblins, or any other humanoid race. Few attributes distinguish us from our counterparts other than extended life and a higher propensity for magic. Your friend Ethan was one of us. So is Irya. Each of you probably knows others. We are governed by a Council of eleven members, which I am a part of. Millennia ago, we discovered the Well. We do not know where it came from, but we do know it is a gateway to the world of souls. Every thousand years, the Well appears and the first being to enter it is given the choice to either take the power of the souls for him or herself or to let the souls loose. Unfortunately, if the souls are ever let free they will destroy all life in their quest to become living beings once more. For this reason, one of the Other must always be the one to use the Well, for only we understand its power. Ethan, though he was one of us, chose to let the souls free, ignoring the Council’s advice. The previous person to use the Well was an Other named Morath, a member of the Council. He chose to take the power, like all before him. However, he also chose to aim beyond what others had done. He wanted immortality, everlasting power, so he fashioned a crown and put the power of the Well into it, along with a fraction of his dark soul.” The rest of the Other fought against him, creating eleven mystical weapons we call the Honorblades. With them, we were able to defeat him, but we foolishly failed to destroy the crown. The piece of his soul waited inside, biding its time until it could convince someone else to take the crown and set his soul free once again.”
-last edited on Jun 12, 2017 17:31:50 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 12, 2017 17:31:19 GMT
Chapter 195
“I know Morath,” said Hithrol, “He is smashed.”
Leif shook his head, “I’m afraid not. You see, he is far more powerful than you believe. Minutes ago, he infiltrated the Council, smashing many of its members and taking one of the Honorblades. He now has three of them. Fortunately, I have another, and the rest are scattered throughout the world.”
“What does this have to do with the power of the Well?” asked Legolie.
“I’m glad you asked. You see, the Honorblades have another use besides destroying the crown. They are among the few weapons that can destroy the souls and they can be used to close the Well. You must gather all eleven if you wish to save the world.”
“How can we gather them all if they’re scattered throughout the world?” asked Graylin.
“Well,” said Leif, “I have one, which I will give to you. Your friend, Hithrol, has another, though I don’t know how he got it. For the rest, you must listen to this rhyme given to me by Beziov, a member of our council:
The six remaining sacred blades Each have a hidden place.
The first is with the golden mountain, Master of his race.
The second hides in Ancient temple, Hidden in the sands.
The third rests on the ocean floor, Lost to beings of land.
The fourth was found by frightful army, But lost in dreadful fight.
The fifth belongs to hardy giants, Who worship the weapon’s might.
The sixth lies deep in ancient forest, Where few now dare to roam.
Find all six and bring them back To save all of your homes.
I’m afraid that is all I know. Good luck.” He held out the paper and the sword and Legolie took them. Then, in a flash of red light, he disappeared.
-last edited on Jun 13, 2017 21:21:29 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 13, 2017 21:20:55 GMT
Chapter 196
Hoid laughed, “So, everything I thought I knew about the Well was wrong! Through my ignorance, I may have caused the destruction of all life.” He began to walk away from the group, “My whole life’s work was meaningless! None of it was true!”
Irya called out, “Hoid! Wait!” but it was too late. He was gone.
“That was certainly an… enlightening discussion,” said Septimus, “I think it would be best if we divided up to find the Honorblades. Legolie, do you have any idea what those clues mean?”
Legolie shook her head, “Not really. I will search for the one in the ancient forest. No one knows the forests better than me. With me, I will take Harrox and Fingolfin.” The two of them walked over to her.
“I know who the Golden Mountain is,” said Zargan, “He is my grandfather. Olifin, will you come with me to visit him?” Olifin nodded and stood next to him. Skrag and Hithrol tried to go with, but Zargan shook his head, “They do not like non-dragons. We must go alone.”
“I’ll miss you,” said Skrag.
“I will miss you too, little friend.”
As they talked, Septimus stepped forward, “I believe I know what Ancient temple they refer to. I went there when I was young, long ago. I will need someone to help uncover it,” he pointed at Digls who held a pickaxe in hand, “and I will also take the half-breed.” Skrag walked over to him, a little reluctantly.
Alkkuto spoke next, “I’ve seen one of these swords before. When Shayden and Doli and I were exploring the Falcon castle, we found one.”
Graylin looked at him, “If you can find it again, I can take it back to the Towers of Sorcery and use it to find the one in the ocean. Link, Leinad, join us?” They nodded agreement and walked over.
“That leaves Irya, the Dragon Knight, and me to find the one with the giants,” said Hithrol.
The groups spent a few hours preparing, saying their goodbyes, and then it was time to go. It was time to save the world.
-last edited on Jun 14, 2017 17:47:20 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 14, 2017 17:44:46 GMT
Chapter 197
They hadn’t been gone long when a girl, looking to be in her early teens, arrived. Her simple clothing was old, and had clearly been mended many times in lieu of being replaced. Her dirty blonde hair was tied back in a messy ponytail and she wore a look of anger. At her sides were a black-hilted sword with a white blade and a long knife, and on her back was a large egg of a deep purple hue, almost black. She saw the form of Marrzak lying in the grass and fell to her knees, her eyes filled with tears. When she finished crying, she stood up and looked around the scene. Seeing a pile of dirt nearby, she approached it. The dirt lay next to a large hole that someone had filled in. Since there was clearly some dirt left over, something must have gone into the hole. It was marked at one end by a large stone with a name crudely carved into it “William Exeter”. As she knelt by the grave, she heard footsteps approaching. Knife in hand, she turned around to see a girl, younger than her, with short black hair.
The older girl sheathed her knife, “What are you doing here? This is no place for a child.”
The younger girl seemed frightened, “My Uncle William was coming here to meet Sir Taluk. He saw fighting or something and he told me to stay back. Do you know where he is?”
Sadly, the older girl looked down at the grave, “What’s your name?”
“Virida.”
“Do you have any parents Virida?”
Virida shook her head, “Uncle William takes care of me.”
“Well, Virida,” said the older girl, crouching down so their heads would be at the same level, “My name is Alis. A bad man was here. He smashed my father, and I’m afraid he must have smashed your uncle too.”
Virida began to cry and Alis put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her, “It’s okay. When I was about your age, a bad man tried to smash me, but my father saved me and took care of me. I’m going to take care of you, and we’re going to go smash the bad man who smashed your uncle and my father.”
Virida looked up at Alis in shock, “You know who the bad man is?”
Alis nodded, “His name is Hithrol Jiwovz, and we’re going to stop him once and for all. I promise.”
-last edited on Jun 17, 2017 21:03:22 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 17, 2017 21:02:56 GMT
Hidden Connections (Author's Note)
Here’s something I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned before. You may remember that at the end of Part Two, Hithrol, seeking to get revenge for his father and sister, has gone searching for a dragon to smash and a mysterious hermit has told him where to find one. He arrives at the home of the dragon, only to find it already smashed, with no evidence of what has happened. He also finds a dragon egg, which he keeps, and which eventually hatches Olifin. This seemingly random event is actually extremely important to the story, and not just because it is a major step in Hithrol’s initial character arc. The nest was home to a brood mother, a dragon who cares for all the eggs laid in the year. Shortly before Hithrol arrived, it was attacked by none other than Kelrin Dragonsblood’s army, who smashed the brood mother and stole four of the five eggs, which hatched into Fovos, Thymos, Ponos, and Athliotos. The fifth egg was hidden by the brood mother, and so Hithrol was able to rescue it. Also, the hermit who told Hithrol where to go was none other than Beziov, acting on one of Mystika’s visions.
I know this is a short one, but I think it is also very interesting so I wanted to share it with all of you. If any of you see anything in the story that seems to be unexplained, or if you just have a question about anything in the story, please let me know.
Finally, I'm sorry for taking so long to post this. Part Seven ended before I was ready, and I have been rather busy this past week. I'm still going to try to post twice a day every day, but that may not always be possible.
-last edited on Jun 17, 2017 22:53:42 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 17, 2017 22:53:15 GMT
Part One Summary Skrag, a young half-goblin, is taken in by a goblin tribe, but shunned and friendless. When the chief who brought him in passes, the new chief takes this opportunity to exile him. Before he leaves, though, his power-hungry adopted father smashes the chief and frames Skrag, forcing him to flee.
Part Two Summary Far to the north, a dragon named Marrzak begins hearing a voice in his head, which convinces him to smash another dragon. He flies away, along with his brother, Zargan. Skrag sees the two and follows them to a house, where Marrzak smashes a man and continues flying away. Zargan is pursued by a group led by the man’s son, but Skrag saves him and the two become friends. The boy, Hithrol Jiwovz, finds a dragon egg in the mountains.
Part Three Summary Skrag joins an arena, fighting as a gladiator, but discovers he’s trapped in the city. Meanwhile, a young giant named Baj is captured as a slave and sent to the arena. Skrag finds a secret passage out of the city and begins planning to free the slaves and the city from the cruel leader, Gormund Crux, who is really just a puppet for his brother Edmond. Zelfern, one of the strongest gladiators in the arena, is put up against Skrag, who removes his hand. At the same time, many of the gladiators question their motives for fighting. Skrag and his allies, including Edmond’s daughter, Isabel, who calls herself Ishappa, approach Baj, asking for his help in freeing the slaves. He agrees, and convinces everyone except Garfell, an incredibly strong and skilled fighter. The slaves leave, while some of the gladiators lead a rebellion against the Cruxes. Garfell makes his return, sent by Edmond, but Burgs and Re’zar sacrifice themselves for the others. Almost everyone leaves, including Skrag, while Isabel takes control of the city. Zelfern swears to get his revenge on Skrag.
Part Four Summary Skrag and Zargan meet a mysterious old man, who enchants Skrag’s weapons and gives him armor, before disappearing. From there, they find the Dragon Riders, led by Hithrol Jiwovz and his dragon Olifin. The other Dragon Riders are Korin and Cloventail, Jon and Potestas, Calin and Glenda, Conria (a former gladiator in the arena) and Knoxin (a relative of Zargan’s), and finally Terra and Raini. The dragon riders all leave to announce their existence to the world, but Skrag has a bad feeling and asks Terra to be careful. The mysterious old man is revealed to be part of a mysterious group. Marrzak sends the voice, named Morath, after Hithrol and reveals he has Alis, his sister. Finally, a mysterious man initiates an invasion.
Part Five Summary Skrag, Zargan, Korin, and Cloventail fly off to join the dwarves, where they learn of a mysterious army on the march. Terra, Raini, Conria, and Knoxin meet with the three human kingdoms- the falcons, dragons, and lions. Jon, Potestas, Calin, and Glenda meet the elves. Everyone in the Towers of Sorcery dreams of the same mysterious army the others have been hearing about, the dreams sent by a mysterious group. Three people from the three human kingdoms have a secret meeting as the falcons prepare to march to the aid of the dwarves. Skrag, Zargan, Korin, and Cloventail fight the army and discover they have dragons of their own. Korin and Cloventail go to get help. Morath, sent by Marrzak, possesses Hithrol, captures Olifin, and goes to meet the leader of the mysterious army. Jon and Potestas are revealed as traitors, smashing Calin and Glenda. Skrag seems to be smashed by one of the enemy dragons. The army’s leader is revealed to be named Kelrin Dragonsblood and he makes a deal with Morath.
Part Six Summary While Zargan attempts to avenge Skrag, the Dwarves chase off the attacking army, which turns its attention to the Falcon Kingdom. Skrag survives, but loses many of his memories. Syldar, Leidiriv, and Jarios meet Person and Mozz at the Towers of Sorcery. King Dernar reveals to his friend Exeter that his brother Kelrin sent him a letter. Skrag, going by the name of Grask, meets a possessed Hithrol and rescues Olifin, while Zargan is saved by his father, Darkaraz. Jon smashes Ponos, so Gorvechev vows revenge. Korin and Cloventail race to the Lion Kingdom to get the other Dragon Riders to aid in the battle. Skirj, Skrag’s old enemy, is in the middle of a losing battle against the enemy army. Skrag and Olifin find Zargan, but then Skrag must save Hithrol, which he eventually does, earning a new sword in the process. Jon smashes Gorvechev, but is then smashed by Legolie, ending the battle against the elves. Skrag, Zargan, Hithrol, and Olifin fight against a dragon and rider, but are only able to win with the help of Kalkuzar the Golden. The Falcon Kingdom is taken and Conria and Knoxin are smashed. An enemy rider and dragon are smashed by Septimus Merlinsson, and soon Skrag and Zargan defeat the last dragon and rider. Dernar faces off against Kelrin, and both are smashed. The battle is won with the help of the Lion Kingdom and the elves. Terra leaves on a quest, as the mysterious Council discusses the situation. Marrzak gives a dragon egg to Alis.
Part Seven Summary Skrag, Zargan, Hithrol, and Olifin, along with representatives from the Elves, the Dwarves, the Lion Knights, Towers of Sorcery, and the Bandits are invited to an old tavern by a mysterious man named Hoid, who tells them they must find an item of power called the Well before anyone else can. A bandit named Harrox almost gets into a fight with Skrag, but it is stopped. While everyone else goes to the Falcon Kingdom castle to look for the Well, Zargan goes to the mountains in hopes of getting help from the other dragons. At the castle, they fight against a sorcerer leading an army of goblins, lizardfolk, giants, and trolls. Hoid leads a few of the most powerful to look for the Well, while Shayden, Alkkuto, and Doli search for treasure. Skrag sees Skirj among the goblins. They fight and Skirj is smashed. Zargan runs into Marrzak, who knocks him out. Shayden’s group finds the graves of Dernar and Kelrin. Morath arrives at the castle, attacks Hithrol, and is seemingly destroyed by the spirit of Hithrol’s father, Dernis. Shayden’s group joins the others. Hoid’s group also returns, not having found the Well. Septimus beats the sorcerer and the fight is won, though Sir William is smashed. Everyone heads to the Dragon Kingdom castle. They divide up into groups, but before they can start, Zargan arrives with Marrzak on his tail. Skrag, Zargan, Hithrol, and Olifin stay behind to fight him with the help of Dernis, while the rest split up and enter the castle. During the fight, Marrzak demonstrates his power by turning himself into a humanoid. The group figures out that Marrzak’s Crown is the key to his power. Legolie’s group meets Gyr Taluk, the last of the Dragon Knights, and he joins them. Dernis sacrifices himself to weaken Marrzak. Graylin’s group fights against the sorcerer from earlier and his army. They smash Shayden and kidnap Harrox, who then makes a deal with a mysterious stranger with a hook for a hand. Marrzak turns back into a dragon, and brings Skirj back to life to help him. William Exeter, on his way to meet with Gyr Taluk, joins the battle against Marrzak and is smashed. Fingolfin and Legolie’s groups find the Well. Ethan enters the Well, releases its power, and is smashed by the shadows. The shadows begin to climb out of the Well, smashing Doli. Skrag takes the Crown from Marrzak’s head and Olifin smashes him. Skirj takes the Crown and disappears. Graylin’s group wins the battle, and all three groups leave the castle. Morath infiltrates the Council, smashing several members, but Leif manages to escape and tells the now-united group that they need to find the eleven Honorblades to save the world, smash Morath, and destroy the Crown. Hoid, realizing that everything he thought he knew was wrong, runs off, and the group splits up to find the Honorblades. After they leave, Alis arrives at the castle, and meets Virida, William Exeter’s niece and guardian. Believing that Hithrol smashed both their adopted fathers, she vows to see him smashed.
-last edited on Jun 18, 2017 21:47:50 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 18, 2017 21:46:27 GMT
Characters Part One
Skrag- The Half-Breed, Dragon Rider, best friend of Zargan and brother of Skirj, our protagonist Skorj- Warlord of Skrag’s former clan, father of Skirj, smashed Gorle and framed Skrag, later exiled for his crimes Gorle- Chief of Skrag’s former clan, smashed by Skorj Trok- Gorle’s deputy Skirj- Son of Skorj, brother of Skrag, formerly the clan’s warlord, smashed by Skrag, brought back by Marrzak, currently in possession of the Crown Kalkuzar the Golden- King of dragons, father of Darkaraz Darkaraz- Son of Kalkuzar, father of Zargan, Marrzak, and Lyzara Marrzak- Son of Darkaraz, brother of Zargan and Lyzara, smashed Kurukin and Dernis Jiwovz, adopted father of Alis Jiwovz, smashed by Olifin Zargan- Son of Darkaraz, brother of Marrzak and Lyzara, best friend of Skrag Lyzara- Daughter of Darkaraz, sister of Marrzak and Zargan Kurukin- Member of Kalkuzar’s tribe, smashed by Marrzak Hithrol Jiwovz- Son of Dernis Jiwovz, brother of Alis Jiwovz, founder of the Dragon Riders, rider of Olifin, wields the sword Scalblas Alis Jiwovz- Daughter of Dernis Jiwovz, sister of Hithrol Jiwovz, raised by Marrzak, recently obtained a dragon egg, has vowed revenge on Hithrol Dernis Jiwovz- Father of Hithrol and Alis Jiwovz, smashed by Marrzak, as a spirit helped to defeat Marrzak Gormund Crux- Former leader of the City by the River, brother of Edmond Crux, smashed by Skrag Edmond Crux- Father of Isabel Crux, brother of Gormund Crux, the true power in the City by the River, smashed in a tunnel cave-in Arik- Former gladiator in the Arena, friend of Skrag, aided in the revolt Go- Samurai, former gladiator, friend of Skrag Syldar- Healer, former gladiator, friend of Skrag, currently resides in the Towers of Sorcery Rennar- Former gladiator, friend of Skrag Luke Tunstall- Member of the Iron Wolves, former gladiator, friend of Skrag Dwalin- Former gladiator Ishal- Former gladiator, spy for Edmond Crux, smashed in a tunnel cave-in Leidiriv- Former gladiator, competent in magic, friend of Skrag, currently resides in the Towers of Sorcery Brian- Former gladiator, quick to fight, smashed by Shadowwrath Zelfern- Former gladiator, lost his hand to Skrag, vowed revenge on Skrag Shadowwrath- Former gladiator, always wears his armor, friend of Skrag Ishappa- Former gladiator, the Executioner, secretly Isabel Crux, daughter of Edmond Crux, current leader of the City by the River Garfell- Former slave gladiator, leader of one faction Re’zar- Former slave gladiator, leader of one faction, smashed by Garfell Baj- Very short giant, former slave gladiator, friend of Skrag Elisa- Former slave gladiator, friend of Skrag Raja- Former slave gladiator, young child, joined Garfell’s faction Ormuk- Former slave gladiator, Garfell’s right-hand man, smashed by Person Andrasa- Former slave gladiator, joined Garfell’s faction Malik- Former slave gladiator, had a way with animals, joined Garfell’s faction out of fear Burgs- Former slave gladiator, joined Garfell’s faction, half-giant, befriended Baj, smashed by Garfell Person- Former slave gladiator, joined Re’zar’s faction, friend of Mozz Mozz- Former slave gladiator, joined Re’zar’s faction, befriended by Person, supposedly insane Pine- Former slave gladiator, joined Re’zar’s faction, owned a dog, smashed by Raja Conria- Former slave gladiator, joined Re’zar’s faction, former knight of the Lion Kingdom, Dragon Rider, rider of Knoxin, smashed in battle Beziov- Mysterious wizard, member of the Council Olifin- Dragon of Hithrol, found as an egg in an abandoned nest, smashed Marrzak Korin- Dragon Rider, dwarven smith, rider of Cloventail Cloventail- Dragon of Korin, daughter of Glenda Firestrike Jon Blockman- Dragon Rider, Rider of Potestas, secretly worked for Kelrin, wanted revenge on the elves, smashed Calin, Gorvechev, and Ponos, smashed by Legolie Potestas- Dragon of Jon, secretly worked for Kelrin, wanted revenge on the elves, smashed Glenda, smashed by Gorvechev Knoxin- Dragon of Conria, grandson of Kalkuzar, cousin of Zargan, smashed in battle Terra- Mermian, Dragon Rider, rider of Raini, close friend of Skrag Raini- Water Dragon, dragon of Terra Calin Firestrike- Dragon Rider, rider of Glenda, smashed by Jon Glenda Firestrike- Dragon of Calin, mother of Cloventail, smashed by Potestas Lief- Member of the Council, former member of the Little Council, advisor to King Leonus of the Lion Kingdom, competent sorcerer Petrion- Dwarven miner, member of the Council, smashed by Morath Morath- Servant of Marrzak, appears as a living shadow, appeared to be smashed by the spirit of Dernis Kelrin Dragonsblood- Brother of Dernar, Kalrin, and Dakril, smashed Kalrin and Dakril in an attempt to gain the throne, defeated by William Exeter, built an army to conquer the world, smashed Dernar, smashed by Dernar Henphril- Servant of Kelrin
-last edited on Jul 8, 2019 16:35:43 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 19, 2017 1:08:51 GMT
Characters Part Two
King Dernar Dragonsson- King of the Dragon Kingdom, brother of Kelrin, Kalrin, and Dakril, friend of William Exeter, smashed Kelrin, smashed by Kelrin King Leonus Lionsson- King of the Lion Kingdom King Dwiarnemfafn- King of the Dwarves, has a very frustrating name Fingolfin- Elven general, trusted advisor of Queen Legolie Queen Legolie- Queen of the Elves, smashed Jon Link- Elven general, trusted advisor of Queen Legolie Jarios- Student at the Towers of Sorcery, friend of Syldar and Leidiriv Wisdom- Student at the Towers of Sorcery, notably strange, received an especially troubling dream The Wanderer- Leader of the Council, smashed by Morath King Gerak Falconsson- King of the Falcon Kingdom, smashed in the siege Pterio- Advisor to King Gerak, former member of the Little Council, smashed in the siege Dancan- Military advisor and bodyguard to King Dernar, former member of the Little Council, smashed by Kelrin Mavros the Black Knight- One of Kelrin’s dragon riders, rider of Groklum, smashed by Darkaraz Groklum- Dragon of Mavros, supposedly smashed Skrag, smashed by Darkaraz Voin- One of Kelrin’s dragon riders, rider of Thymos, smashed by Skrag Thymos- Dragon of Voin, smashed by Skrag Vorkhan- One of Kelrin’s dragon riders, became a humanoid with dragon-like features due to his bond with his dragon Ki’all Ki’all Skull Face- Dragon of Vorkhan, smashed by the Mangler Arrana- One of Kelrin’s dragon riders, former thief, rider of Sichasia, smashed by Septimus Merlinsson Sichasia- Dragon of Arrana, created by Septimus Merlinsson through magic and alchemy, smashed by Septimus Merlinsson Vincent Caloon- Soldier in Kelrin’s army, led Morath to Kelrin Septimus Merlinsson- Extremely powerful alchemist at the Towers of Sorcery, created Sichasia, warned the Tower about the coming attack, smashed Sichasia and Arrana Pursigon- One of Kelrin’s dragon riders, rider of Fovos, defeated by Skrag and Zargan Fovos- Dragon of Pursigon, defeated by Skrag and Zargan Cyril Isenthorne- A leader in the Towers of Sorcery, descendant of their founder William Exeter- Childhood friend of King Dernar, also known as Reginald Dobson, defeated Kelrin in a duel, buried Dernar and Kelrin, smashed by Marrzak Gorvechev- One of Kelrin’s dragon riders, rider of Ponos, smashed by Jon Ponos- Dragon of Gorvechev, smashed by Potestas Volkmar- One of Kelrin’s dragon riders, rider of Strike, smashed in battle Strike- Dragon of Volkmar, smashed in battle Zachaery Thoran- One of Kelrin’s dragon riders, rider of Athliotos, Kelrin’s archmage, extremely powerful sorcerer, smashed by Kalkuzar Athliotos- Dragon of Thoran, smashed by Kalkuzar Korst- Warlord of Skirj’s clan, smashed by Thoran Didime- Member of the Council, twin of Didima, smashed by Morath Didima- Member of the Council, twin of Didime, smashed by Morath Vasilla- Member of the Council Mystika- Member of the Council, a seer, highly trusted by the Wanderer, smashed by Morath Barkot- Member of the Council, traveler, smashed by Morath Hattie- Member of the Council, smashed by Morath Elowyn- Member of the Council Harrox- Bandit, hates goblins and orcs Shayden- Leader of the Bandits, smashed at the Dragon Kingdom castle Alkkuto- Bandit, light-hearted Hoid- Scholar, believed he understood the Well, gathered a group to find it, ran away upon discovering he was wrong Ethan- Member of the Iron Wolves, friend of Hoid, entered the Well and released its power, smashed by the shadows Irya- Ork from the west, friend of Hoid Doli- Dwarven warrior, hated trees, smashed by the shadows Digls- Dwarven miner Sir William- Lion Knight, smashed in the battle at the Falcon Kingdom castle Leinad ap Payton- Lion Knight, friend of Link Graylin- Sorceress at the Towers of Sorcery Gyr Taluk- Last of the Dragon Knights, stayed at the castle after all others left, sought to rebuild the kingdom Virida- Niece of William Exeter, orphan, joined Alis to find Hithrol Orrolc- Sorcerer, works for a hook-handed man, fought Hoid’s group, kidnapped Harrox
-last edited on Jun 19, 2017 17:29:00 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 19, 2017 17:28:09 GMT
Chapter 198
It took no more than a day for Graylin, Alkkuto, Leinad, and Link to reach the Falcon Castle. The forest fire that Alkkuto had started was gone, but so were most of the trees. Between the burned forest and the ruined castle, it was a very dismal place, and a very quiet. Perhaps the only pleasant thing about it was that the enemies they had faced the first time they visited were gone- no goblins, no giants, no tree monsters. Alkkuto led them around to the back of the castle where they found a narrow tunnel leading downwards.
“This is it,” said Alkkuto, pointing down the tunnel, “It’s down there.” He began walking down, and Graylin and Link followed close behind.
Leinad stayed outside, crouching on the ground. Link noticed that his friend wasn’t following them and returned, “Is something wrong?”
Leinad shook his head, “There’s something here, something metal.” Link crouched down next to him and watched him brush the dirt and ash of the object. At last, Leinad finished cleaning the object and held it up to the sunlight. He gasped. “What is it?” asked Link.
“It’s the crown of the Dragon Kingdom,” and indeed it was. The silver of the serpentine crown was a little tarnished from exposure to the elements, but it was undeniably the same crown. “When we see Sir Taluk again, I’ll give this to him. He should have it,” said Leinad, putting it in a pouch. Link nodded his agreement.
As he stowed away the crown, Alkkuto and Graylin returned from the tunnel, the former holding the Honorblade. He handed it to Leinad, “This is more your style.” Leinad nodded gratefully and gave it an experimental swing before belting it on.
“Now what?” asked Link.
Graylin replied, “Now we go to the Towers of Sorcery so I can complete the locator spell.”
-last edited on Jun 20, 2017 1:13:24 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 20, 2017 1:13:02 GMT
Chapter 199
It took the dragons two days to reach Zargan’s old home. On the way, Zargan told Olifin all about the dragons’ history, and those who lived there. They were met by a pale blue dragon with a second set of small wings and a frill behind her head on the outskirts of the dragons’ territory. “Halt! State your- Zargan?”
Zargan smiled, “Nalira! It has been a long time.”
“Too long. Why have you returned? Kalkuzar will not be pleased. You know the rules.”
Zargan shook his head, “I saw him about a year ago. He said he forgave me.”
Nalira smiled at that, “I remember hearing rumors. So you’re back then? And you’ve brought a friend!”
“I’m afraid not,” Zargan replied sadly, “Olifin and I are here on business. There is a crisis that must be dealt with.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. But you can at least stay a little while to catch up?”
“Yes, of course. As long as we don’t stay longer than a day or so.”
Nalira beamed, “Great! Follow me!” She took off towards the caves where the dragons lived. Zargan and Olifin followed close behind.
As they flew, Olifin tried to remember what Zargan had told him about Nalira. He recalled that she had been Zargan’s friend before he left, and she had small camouflage abilities.
They landed on a rocky ledge, and Nalira flew off, presumably to bring others. When she returned, three other dragons accompanied her- a large one with dark orange scales streaked with gray, a small one with purple scales that progressively got darker as they transitioned from her stomach to her back, and a dark blue one with silver spines who reminded Olifin a little of Zargan. As soon as the four of them came into view, Zargan took to the air, flying towards the dark blue one and embracing her.
-last edited on Jun 20, 2017 17:28:36 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 20, 2017 17:28:09 GMT
Chapter 200
The five dragons landed in front of Olifin and Zargan ran through introductions. The dark orange male was Jarrum, the purple one was Yvetha, and the dark blue one was Lyzara, Zargan’s sister.
Olifin nodded to each in turn. When Zargan said Lyzara was his sister, he smiled and said, “She’s nothing like your brother, is she?”
A hush came over them at Olifin’s words, and he realized he had said something foolish. Fortunately, Zargan was able to smooth things over. To Olifin he said, “Not at all. She was always the responsible one,” and to the others, “We do need to talk about Marrzak, but not right now. Let’s catch up first.”
Catch up they did, as they flew toward the caves and the rest of the dragons. Zargan told his friends about meeting Skrag, the City on the River, and the war against Kelrin’s army. Olifin noticed that he didn’t mention anything to do with the Well, and very little about Marrzak other than them being separated after the red dragon attacked Hithrol’s family. When Zargan was finished, the others began. They had less to tell- apparently, things weren’t quite as interesting back home- but they too had stories of the war, especially Jarrum, who had sustained several nasty scars in the fighting. Olifin chimed in a couple times, to fill in blanks in Zargan’s story, but for the most part he just listened.
As they reached the caves, Zargan and his old friends stopped short, almost causing Olifin to run into them. The black dragon peeked around to see what had caused the sudden stop, and saw two dragons perched on a ledge. One was a female with red, purple, and gold scales looked who a lot like Knoxin, and the other was a large male with deep maroon scales and white spines and wing membranes. Both looked unhappy.
-last edited on Jun 20, 2017 21:13:06 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 20, 2017 21:12:43 GMT
Chapter 201
Jarrum, Lyzara, Nalira, and Yvetha moved in front of Zargan, forming a wall between him and the two dragons facing him. The green dragon shook his head, “I need to handle this.” Reluctantly, his friends moved out of the way, allowing him to come face-to-face with his challengers. Zargan nodded to the two of them, “Hello, Ingita, Kronokos. It’s been a long time.”
Kronokos sneered, “You know why we’re here.” Zargan’s expression made it clear that he did, indeed, know.
Olifin didn’t know, however, and he opened his mouth to ask, but a warning glance from Lyzara silenced him.
“All right,” said Zargan, “I will speak to Ingita first.” Kronokos moved back, allowing Ingita to face Zargan directly. Zargan began to speak, “Yes, I did find him, largely by coincidence, years after I left here. We both came to be members of an organization.” He pointed with his tail back at Olifin, “My friend is also a member of this organization.”
Ingita’s expression changed only slightly, “Where is he now?”
“You remember the war against the army of Kelrin Dragonsblood, not long ago?” asked Zargan.
“I fought in it.”
“So did Knoxin,” said Zargan sadly, “And he lost his life in that fight.”
Ingita lowered her head, “He went bravely?”
“Very. In combat against two other dragons. I was fighting a different battle at the time, but if I had been there, I swear, I would have done everything I could to save him.”
“Thank you. At least we won’t have to wonder anymore.” Ingita smiled slightly and flew off.
Kronokos moved forward, “You are treading on thin ice coming back here, no matter what Kalkuzar says. Your brother smashed my son and you stood by while he did so.”
-last edited on Jun 21, 2017 17:19:32 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 21, 2017 17:18:44 GMT
Chapter 202
Zargan hung his head in shame, “I know, but I am a different person now. I used to idolize Marrzak. I was blind to the truth of him. It wasn’t long after I left that I began to see more clearly. Kurukin’s wasn’t the only innocent life he took. After that, I didn’t see him for many years, until just a few days ago. He tricked me, used me to find my friends with the express intent of smashing them, as well as me. We fought him. He was powerful, but not powerful enough. Olifin delivered the final blow.”
Zargan’s friends parted, allowing Olifin to come forward. Kronokos looked at him, “Is this true.”
Olifin nodded, “Every word. I’m sorry about your son. I can’t pretend to know how you feel, but a friend of mine does. Marrzak smashed his family too.”
“Let us speak no more of him. He is gone, and that is all that matters.” With that, Kronokos took off.
There was a long, silent pause before Nalira spoke, “That was eventful. Shall we proceed to our destination now?”
The others nodded, grateful for a break in the tension, and soon they finally landed in one of the caves. A tall, slender dragon with pale gray scales that sparkled in the sunlight was waiting there. Olifin prepared for another confrontation, but instead Zargan embraced her.
He turned to Olifin, “This is my brood mother, Dia.”
“Your brood mother?” asked Olifin, a little confused.
“She cared for all the eggs that hatched the year I did. From Hithrol’s story of how he found you, I think you must have had one too, before… whatever happened.”
Olifin winced, “I wonder what did happen. I guess we’ll never know.” There was another long silence.
This time, it was Lyzara who spoke, “Let’s go see if Kalkuzar is around. I know you have much to talk about.”
-last edited on Jun 21, 2017 21:21:33 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Jun 21, 2017 21:16:36 GMT
Chapter 203
As it turned out, Kalkuzar was not around. Without anything to do, Zargan, Olifin, and the others spent the rest of the day talking. Olifin learned a lot about each one of them, even Zargan, but he himself didn’t say much. He felt almost as if he were intruding on a private conversation between very close friends.
The golden dragon was still absent the next day, so they talked some more- there was a lot to talk about- and played games. They competed to see who could do the best trick with his or her respective breath weapon. Yvetha won that with her purple flames. They mock-wrestled, even the stoic Jarrum, and performed dizzying aerial stunts and feats of strength. They played a variant of hide-and-seek in which Nalira used her camouflage abilities to hide herself and the others raced to see who could find her first. It was the kind of stuff Olifin imagined Zargan and his friends did long ago, before they grew up, before Marrzak smashed Kurukin and left with Zargan, before they had all seen war. It was the kind of stuff Olifin had never really done before, maybe even the kind of stuff he’d be doing now if things had turned out differently. After all, he really was quite young, even if he sometimes forgot it. Indeed, he certainly had more fun with it than any of the others.
The games didn’t last long, though. They were all grown-up now; they had faced the ugliness of the world head-on, and it had changed them. As the sun passed its peak, a strange silence fell over the group. One by one, they drifted away, until only Zargan and Lyzara remained, and Olifin sitting alone not far away. It seemed that the magic of the reunion had faded, and they remembered that even before Zargan and Marrzak left they had begun to walk different paths. They all had new friendships, new lives, and the old ones weren’t going to come back.
