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—The Highborn—

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Areno3

Areno3

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Prologue

The brink of death gnawed at his heart, his mind, and his soul. His elderly features were in shambles upon his drooping face. His flesh no longer seemed as if it belonged to a human, for his mangled skin was barely hanging on to the edges of his bones. His cheeks were sunken, his eye sockets were blackened, and his white hair was diminishing. The imposing throne of gold, flora, and valuable gems he sat upon made him seem fragile compared to its godly design; it made the man seem desperate for the youth that had long been reaped from his anatomy.

Chapped lips quivering and aged hands trembling, the weary monarch observed as the armor clad soldier approached, his klappvisier bascinet tucked under his arm. His head was protected by a thick riveted aventail, revealing his well-shaved, rugged and battle-worn countenance. “My lord,” the man stated, not kneeling in honor nor signaling any type of loyalty or respect toward the king before him. His gauntleted hands clenched together, exposing the broad size of his knuckles.

The king let off a cough and then adjusted himself in the magnificent throne he sat upon. “What… what do you need from me, young knight?”

“I have traveled far to tell you that the dwarven lord of Dodempa, Laranius Drakeskin, has accepted your alliance and trade agreement. For sending much of your city’s wealth as a gift, Lord Drakeskin is offering his only living heir to the dwarven throne, Lomar Drakeskin,” the knight explained in a fatigued manner, turning sideways and stretching out his right arm toward the large gate that led into the throne room.

29-Apr-2012 05:04:18 - Last edited on 18-Jun-2013 16:58:17 by Areno3

Areno3

Areno3

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The golden ring-shaped door pulls jingled as the two giant doors were thrown open; a miniature figure peaking at the height of four feet and eight inches entered the room. A grand steel cuirass of red paint was donned upon his configuration, glistening in the mauve sunlight of the setting sun that streamed through the vast windows above the set of doors. The insignia of the dwarven kingdom – a battle-axe and warhammer crossed in an ‘X’ – was bejeweled on the cuirass’s center, its aberrant design embellished with rubies, emeralds, and amethysts.

Meandering forward, the dwarven heir came to a halt, bowing before the aging king and then standing tall once again with marvelous posture. Amber hair concealed his scalp and his deep green irises stared dauntless at the monarch. A simple goatee of the orange hair circled his lips, instilling some nobility about him.

An awkward silence filled the room, and the elder king’s steel-grey eyes found themselves darting about, observing the royal guards that were positioned at either side of the room as if they were the metallic pieces on a valuable chessboard. Lomar twitched slightly, hinting the anxiety in the ruler’s eyes. It… confused the dwarf.

The king’s eyes returned to the dwarf, who had already begun to speak. “Good afternoon to you, King of Synera. I must say, while I’ve been utterly forced here by my father, I am still permitted my right to think and express myself, and thus… I have the liberty to dislike you in your entirety. Do not take this to offence, for it is common practice amongst us dwarves,” Lomar said, winking casually at the wise lord as a smirk began to form from his subtle pink lips. “Ah, but do not administer your full attention to me. My knight needs some appreciation as well for getting me through the Golden Valley and the Shaden Forest unharmed.” Lomar extended his arm toward the knight. “This is Zem Torii, human war soldier of the Drakeskin imperial guard.”

29-Apr-2012 05:05:38 - Last edited on 18-Jun-2013 19:34:11 by Areno3

Areno3

Areno3

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Zem bowed his head, but his body remained still. “A pleasure to meet you…” The old lord announced, his tone dreary and soft.

“I cannot say the same,” the giant of a man declared, sneering at the king. The elder monarch’s visage contorted, his lip curling upward and revealing the near-toothless gums that resided there.

“Please… please escort these two men to their rooms,” the king said, his fingers ushering the guards toward the duo. One of the royal soldiers approached Zem and Lomar, gently guiding them to the right where a door leading out into the corridors of the castle awaited. The guard was adorned with blueblood steel – a vivacious and durable metal derived from the Icecap Mountains surrounding the City of Dodempa – armor. The brilliant material was painted a slick silver. Purple draconic etchings decorated the armor and the helmet donned eagle-shaped wings on either side of the cranium. An indigo cape streamed down from the guard’s shoulders, the trimming at the bottom being a glistening silver.

“Well aren’t these guys dressed all fancy-like!” Zem said, chuckling afterward as he swung his burly arm around the petite shoulders of Lomar.

“I don’t s’ppose we could be pleasured with a few wenches and several rounds of your finest ale?” Lomar asked, his eyes peering sideward at the noble guard that led him through the door and into the first hall.

The guard looked at him incredulously, rolling his eyes like a stubborn child. “I’ll see what I can do,” the guard said.

“There we go!” Zem roared, banging his left hand against his armored chest like a gorilla.

Continuing through the passage, the light from the windows began to vanish as the sun finally drifted into its slumber. Darkness began to creep into the crevices and open doorways of the corridor, and it wasn’t long before the servants came along, lighting the wall-donned torches aglow with an orange fiery haze.

29-Apr-2012 05:09:23 - Last edited on 03-Jul-2012 20:53:05 by Areno3

Areno3

Areno3

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Only a brief period of time went by before the duo was escorted properly into their chambers. The royal guard gripped the oaken handle of the mahogany door, opening it with ease and leading the two travelers into their room. Designated to the left wall was the king-sized bed, adorned with fluffy gold pillows and a purple blanket with silver lining. Trivial tables were on either side of the bed, one bearing an ignited candle while the other had a few baubles placed upon it. The same set-up was placed against the right wall, and the wall in front of them had been structured with a massive glass door leading out to a stone veranda. Well-sewn tapestries embellished the walls while ingeniously crafted rugs of silver and purple – the obvious colors of Synera – were strewn out across the stone floor. A gigantic wardrobe was placed in the far corner of the right-hand side, its interior holding a vast array of exquisite apparel.

“Nice… yet, it seems a bit trashy compared to my room back at Dodempa,” Lomar said, laughing with Zem as they entered the room, throwing down their adventuring supplies and crashing down on their appropriate beds.

The guard departed swiftly, but his presence was quickly replaced as another silhouette filled the doorway and apathetically entered the room. The configuration of the man leveled at the height of five feet and eleven inches, his sable black hair gathered into an extended ponytail behind his head. Because of the ponytail, his hair was pulled back, leaving it oiled and inevitably handsome.

29-Apr-2012 05:09:33 - Last edited on 03-Jul-2012 20:53:53 by Areno3

Areno3

Areno3

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His features were angular, like that of a chiseled statue upon marble. His sagacious eyes of silver-grey observed the two companions, while his lips moved in and out under the power of his moving tongue. The tanned flesh of his thick neck was the only visible part of his body besides his hands and face. He was clad in a purple satin robe with silver and gold trimming entwined with one another. The attire made him appear undeniably powerful. The robe was collared and light compared to the cliché design of the usual heavy robe worn by priests or monks. The robe bore no hood, and the fingers of the man were enriched by sparkling silver rings on his index and pinky fingers.

“So… you’re Alderionth Vazai, prince and heir to the throne after that old man dies, huh?” Lomar said, sitting up on the bed and bouncing upon its firm springs.

“Yes, that would be me,” the prince declared, ambling forward, his hands clasped behind his back. “And you two are the drunken pair from Dodempa? Odd, I thought dwarves were taller.”

“We’re called dwarves, idiot. What did you expect?” Lomar asked, his eyes narrowing into an imposing glare, despite his inferior body mass.

*I expected you to be muscular and tenacious while being short in height, not sarcastic and elfin,” Alderionth said, his lips curving into a vexatious grin.

“Watch your tone, prince,” Zem interrupted, standing immediately.

“Watch yours or I’ll throw you in our dungeons and have a cannibal eat you alive,” Alderionth warned, his smirk fading. “But anyways, my father has returned to his chambers, which is right down the hall. Please, I beg of you, keep your voices down. I’d not wish you to awaken the poor man. He annoys me enough when he’s awake, let alone when he’s half asleep.” With that, Alderionth bowed slightly and parted ways, closing the door behind him as he did so.

_,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,_

29-Apr-2012 05:09:44 - Last edited on 03-Jul-2012 20:54:39 by Areno3

Areno3

Areno3

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Time passed and it wasn’t long before Zem and Lomar forgot all about Alderionth’s introduction. Wenches had presented them with alcohol, much of it mead and ale in tankards. They had only received one bottle of rum which had been newly created, leaving its taste not as ravishing as it could have been. The servants left after the two were supplied with enough drink for the evening, but something shattered the thin glass of laughter and admirable times both Zem and Lomar were experiencing.

A scream echoed through the corridors, through the door, and into their comfortable chambers. The guttural sound brought silence into the room almost immediately as they set down their tankards and wiped off their lips. Lomar slipped off his bed, ambling over to his traveling pack and crouching. Tied to the side of it was a sheath and the blueblood steel handle peeked out at him. Grabbing the hilt of the sword, Lomar unsheathed it from its leather prison and brought the weapon before his green eyes. The blueblood steel blade sparkled like diamonds, and the rubies emblemized into the pommel were astonishing.

Lomar looked toward Zem, who was already brandishing a six foot long zweihänder, its crystalline blueblood blade looking mighty imposing. The dwarf prince nodded toward Zem and the giant of a man ventured forward, his gauntleted hand gripping the door handle and turning it. It opened, letting off a small creak. Zem quickly threw it ajar to avoid anymore wooden groans and then slowly continued out into the hall. The scream echoed again, and both of them knew what gender the scream belonged to now; it was definitely the vocal chords of a male.

The duo suddenly surged forward, sprinting down the hallway. Zem’s armor clanked obnoxiously, and it wasn’t long before Lomar and he came to the place of the scream’s origin: the king’s chambers. Zem shot an unknowing glance Lomar’s way, but the dwarf simply shrugged. Taking a deep breath, the bodyguard threw open the door.

29-Apr-2012 05:09:52 - Last edited on 03-Jul-2012 20:55:22 by Areno3

Areno3

Areno3

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Before him, in the dim candlelight, the corpse of the elder king was spread out over the ground with his appendages extended. A creature was positioned on top of him, its unclothed form wringed with monstrous black and red muscle. Its head slowly turned toward them, blood and flesh oozing from its mouth.

The creature swallowed its meal, the devilish sound sending chills through their anatomies. The ears on either side of its head were elongated, like that of a bat. Razor sharp teeth could be seen behind the chapped black lips, and the creature’s demonically grotesque features were still. Its blackened diamond-shaped eyes stared at them for a long time.

Then it began to stand.

End of Prologue

29-Apr-2012 05:10:07 - Last edited on 18-Jun-2013 16:58:46 by Areno3

Areno3

Areno3

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Chapter One

“Zem… w-what the hell is that?” Lomar whispered under his breath. His lips pulsated and his entire form shuddered. His body did not move an inch, but the dwarf’s bloodshot eyes gazed left toward his bodyguard, who was nearly as petrified as him. Zem wasn’t replying, for his bright blue eyes were transfixed upon the abomination before him.

The creature inched closer, the entirety of its embodiment revealing itself from the obscured darkness that it had laid within moments ago. It was about six feet in height with sinewy muscle visible on its fiendish flesh. Its sharp features were beginning to crunch together, forcing its diamond-shaped eyes to narrow. The demonic being was bald throughout its whole body, but a tattered sash of cloth concealed the area between its legs on either side. It donned no weapon, but the menacing teeth hiding behind its gums were itching to attack them – Lomar could tell.

Almost as suddenly as it had appeared, the creature charged forward, throwing itself into a quadrapedal stance. The short distance between the duo and the king’s lifeless human shell became briefer than it had been before, for the monstrous creature was swift. In mere seconds, the fiend had leapt through the air, its scimitar-like claws protracting as it did so. Lomar knew not what to do, for he did not garner the ability to evade such a creature. Without hesitation, he simply closed his eyes and waited patiently for the inevitable.

But then it howled and wailed. The demonic sound waves pierced his eardrums, knocking Lomar onto his back, his bejeweled sword clanging to the ground beside him. The dwarf regained his senses rather quickly, and his green eyes opened wide to see Zem struggling to maintain his position upon the beast he was attempting to dominate.

29-Apr-2012 05:10:20 - Last edited on 18-Jun-2013 16:59:07 by Areno3

Areno3

Areno3

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The colossal man had accidentally abandoned his zweihänder due to the hellish screech, but his main goal now was to annihilate this creature, and that could still be achieved with both of his hands free to do as they pleased.

The abomination beneath Zem continued to scream, its thick grey saliva spewing over the enormous man’s face like a fountain. The bodyguard already had the creature’s two demonic arms pinned against the stone floor and with one fluid motion, Zem stood afoot, hoisting the creature up with him. The beast’s imposing maw snapped at him, but Zem tilted his head back away from its reach with his tremendous frame. Zem continued onward as he roared, quickening his pace until he slammed the creature against the glass door leading out onto the balcony. The glass shattered, but Zem continued until he smashed into the safety wall of the veranda, tossing the creature off the ledge.

Breathing heavily with sweat droplets beginning to appear on his forehead, Zem peered downward over the edge, watching as the creature tumbled to its death, splattering upon the rough ground below. Lomar appeared at his side momentarily, leaning over the wall alongside his bodyguard. “Damn squirmy thing,” Zem mumbled, wiping a bit of sweat off his upper lip with the back of his right hand. The bulky man’s eyes glanced sideward, a small smile beginning to take shape upon his countenance. Lomar couldn’t help but laugh, and Zem followed suit.

“I don’t know what the hell that is… but I don’t think it’s normal around these parts… or any parts for that matter,” Lomar said, turning around when he heard the clattering of armor. A trio of royal guards presented themselves with Alderionth at their helm.

29-Apr-2012 05:10:31 - Last edited on 03-Jul-2012 20:58:04 by Areno3

Areno3

Areno3

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The prince’s eyes froze in place and his body seemed to be paralyzed. Alderionth stared aimlessly at his father’s corpse, torn apart as if a feral bear had gotten hold of him. His silver eyes slowly rose until they met with the perplexed eyes of Zem and Lomar. “Kill these murderers,” the prince said. The three soldiers behind Alderionth stepped ahead of the prince, drawing their spathas and encroaching upon the dwarf and his bodyguard.

“Stop!” Lomar screamed, putting his hands up in defense. *It wasn’t us! Just… just look down there.” The dwarf slowly turned, looking down over the ledge. The guards soon approached as Zem glared them down, persuading them to sheath their short swords. The leading guard lurched forward over the low-hanging wall, his eyes examining the ground below. He could see the battered form at the end of the twenty-five foot drop. It definitely wasn’t human.

“My liege, you better come see this,” the guard said, beckoning his prince toward him. Zem and Lomar moved out of the way as Alderionth swiftly approached, leaning over the wall and peering below. Lomar, at a side angle, could see the prince’s eyes broaden wider than he’d ever seen.

*All of you follow me down there,” Alderionth said, pointing toward one of the royal guards behind him as he stood, “except you. Tend to… tend to my father and have some soldiers carry him down to the infirmary.” Leaving the balcony quickly and heading for the door, Alderionth, Zem, and Lomar exited the room with a few guards tailing behind them.

_,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,__,.•'`¯`'•.,_

Spiraling through an array of corridors and mahogany doors, Alderionth and company exited the Castle of Synera through the great doors that Lomar had entered through only hours before. As the silver moonlight of the late evening cascaded down upon them on opening the giant gate, the City of Synera was highlighted for them in a mysterious beauty.

29-Apr-2012 05:10:40 - Last edited on 03-Jul-2012 20:59:12 by Areno3

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