RuneScape Forum Archive | Fall From Grace

Azigarath

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(cont. from previous page)

I did not know that summoned unicorns could talk to the player in-game. My Summoning skill is like 8 or something. But, regardless, it works either way.

As for the last part, that was directed to this chapter only, though I do agree with your point of the knights being so arrogant they do not even bother with tactics. I wonder, though, what would make them use tactics. Maybe if they had to fight monsters, or a dragon, or greater demons, they would need to fight as a group.
But I really need to remember to term” Solasúian” and then “Solasúian attitudes”, they keep flying through my head.

Well, yes, that should be everything for now. Later.

22-Aug-2014 22:50:50 - Last edited on 22-Aug-2014 22:51:09 by Azigarath

Aug

2023

Gemmi3

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Just marking this so I can come back and read later.

Madness is just a state of mind.

09-Sep-2014 01:51:44

Jul

2020

Serene End

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Chapter 22: Where Loyalties Lie

Their footsteps had begun to imprint the sand hills, sizzling hot air flowed into their lungs. They had just entered the desert domain, a place where golden sands were rampant like a terrible infestation. The many blessed the desert heat for perhaps acting like a shield to protect them from the Imperial Kingdom's grasp, but surely that was coming to an end.

The old city of Al Kharid was not the place it used to be, an established city full of trade and 'friendly' faces. Though having stood the test of time, its vast and plenty history was not the draw of this once vibrant city. Through aging, crumbling stone, the city of the Kharidian Desert was merely a shelter, a refuge. But to those who ran from the taxing, binding rule of the gods, it was a sanctuary.

The walls that surrounded this city were made of a strong, large, tan colored stone brink. The glorious gates stood there, undefended and unsupervised. A faded, empty wind blew from the city's lips, kissing anyone with the sense of heartlessness. But this feeling was not too far from how they felt, in fact not far at all.

They stepped into the city, their heads hung and their bodies without vitality. Deprived of souls, those who survived the utter destruction of the Lumbridge Resistance rolled into Al Kharid. Their clothes bloodied, their faces long and emotionless, hollow, hopeless... They marched on, walking blindly into an uncertain future.

Fractured echoes of the past rang out from every corner of this place, quietly murmuring its past into the ears of any who listened. It was just barely morning, the sky just beginning to show some color. Bodies cloaked in ragged cloth brushed by them, their eyes hooked by their red-washed clothing. Some were curious, some mind their own business, but most were startled, alerted by this.
The end

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the beginning...

08-Oct-2014 23:53:55 - Last edited on 22-Oct-2014 09:24:20 by Serene End

Jul

2020

Serene End

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They silently followed behind Calvin, his company scattered across the rooftops and darkness of the city. Telvern still carried Raphael like he were a soldier who wore wounds, the invisible wounds that would forever scar a man. It was Telvern's burden, his duty. He carried the young man's limp body, not thinking for even a moment of letting go.

A long, straight stretch of sandy road laid out before them, its sides covered by both bountiful and empty stalls. The streets were not full of people, but there was some presence. It was mostly human, but there were a few pairs of glowing eyes looking upon this landscape. People seemed almost concerned, seeing that familiar face as the only one that was alive.

Buildings of beige stones made up the streets, their doors flapped slowly in the wind. These homes of Al Kharid began to show the signs of age, cracking and being brought to their knees. They were robbed of everything valuable was commonplace, their shelves bare and dangling broken. One of those buildings was the palace, its large, beautifully crafted courtyard and interior was left abandoned and ransacked of all its treasures.

The city of Al Kharid was just a place to exist in for today, then move onward tomorrow. A placeholder, a place just to pass by. Extravagant buildings and streets laid to waste, left to be ruined by the omnipotent force known as time. It would tear the heart out of anyone who once lived here to see this city like this, it was just... there. But some people had live there, the humans with nowhere else to go, who could barely afford even the most basic essentials to live.
The end

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08-Oct-2014 23:54:25

Jul

2020

Serene End

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This fight for very survival was lost upon a few unfortunate souls who had drowned in the flood, the flood of despair and extinction that silently claimed lives like mercenary's payment. Their bodies settled down at random locations, some left openly on the streets. They ranged from many to few, from young to old, from tall to short. There was no discrimination, succumbing to nature's unforgiving wrath.

Many of those bodies were stripped down to their undergarments, robbed of all things useful to those who continued to fight the impossible enemy. Their rotting, decomposed flesh left a putrid stench, one that was only amplified by the heat. Their carcasses rigid, their skin almost melted, exposing their teeth, muscles, and some cases, their bones.

It was a buffet, a absolute plethora of meals for vultures, those of whom swooped on in and gorged themselves. They dug fathoms deep into the corpses, ripping into their sallow, gluey flesh and dining upon their death. It was sad, this life, the people of this city were truly like these birds. Seldom to attack, but hungry for an opportunity. They went to such lengths to survive, even trading away their humanity.

Walking down the only street with life, hearing perhaps the sounds of the crimes of survival, the group found themselves in a city ripe with desperation. Though this street may seem to have a sense of normalcy, the glares of those looking to see if they might take a chance upon them were found. Indeed, those crooked, opportunistic characters did prowl this road, trading glances with the man at the helm of the group.
The end

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08-Oct-2014 23:55:16

Jul

2020

Serene End

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And if one wasn't being robbed, they were being scammed or cheated. Merchants promising the world, only to swindle every piece of gold on you in the end. Then there were the merchants who held all the supplies for survival, but sold them at extremely high prices. Was there ever any attempted theft? Most stalls had a pile of bodies at the back of their houses, the head of one such person hanging at the right side of the stall as a reminder.

A pair of light brown eyes glued onto Calvin's face, causing a light, creepy chuckle to rupture. Calvin's pale blue eyes fell down upon his right, seeing a tan-skinned man behind a stall of supplies. The man was older, perhaps in his fifties. He wore a black, long coat, dirty and ragged around its edges. He wore a cloth coif, it covered his head, his neck, and his shoulders.

He was sitting down in a old, wooden chair, but he stood up the moment he saw people approaching. "Welcome," the man greeted, his voice gruff, spanning his arms across the table of his wares. He jumped back the moment he noticed who it was that approached, caught off guard by his appearance. He quickly bowed his head, breaking into a taut sweat. "A-ah! Julasit, Kéz!"

"Uh..." Calvin returned, not sure what to make of the merchant's nervousness, the assassin began rubbing the side of his head. "As to you, Dimri."

"N-now," the man nervously spoke, clearing his throat to regain his composure. "t-to what do I owe the company?"

Calvin's face suddenly got quite serious, stepping over to the merchant. He got up close to him, to about mumbled range. "It's time," the lazy assassin whispered to the merchant. "gather everyone an' head on back 'ome."

"Hold a second," he spoke in confusion. "You mean to say that..."

Calvin turned to his right, his front facing the lifeless travelers behind him. "This's all that's left," Calvin stated, turning his head back to the man. "Ain't no one else."

"Where's Anabel?" the man asked. "Did she not...?"
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08-Oct-2014 23:56:26 - Last edited on 22-Oct-2014 09:26:02 by Serene End

Jul

2020

Serene End

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Calvin merely shook his head, and not in the way that the merchant man would like to see. The man sighed, shaking his head to acknowledge the meaning behind Calvin's gesture, a message that was quite hard to digest. "...I'll gather the others," he informed Calvin. "I assume you're going to need supplies for the trip?"

"That'd be lovely,"

The man pointed towards his stall. "Take anything you need," he told his superior.

Calvin smirked. "Thank ya much," the lazy man responded warmly. The merchant man darted off in this moment, disappearing like a single speck of sand in the wind. The assassin then turned to those who walked behind him, his pale blue eyes looking upon their lost, shattered faces. "Look now, we gotta get goin'. So, gah-head an' take whatever ya fancy."

Daevarro's hazel eyes flipped to Calvin, questionable of the assassin. "...Can I ask what exactly do you mean by, "it's time"?" the dark-robed young man asked.

"Ah, shady... you an' yer 'earin'," Calvin sighed, then put his hands on his hips. "Think-a it as anythin' ya want. Heck, it could be-a party fer all ya care!"

"Intend on keeping silent about it?" the genius Telvern's voice suddenly forced its way into the conversation. "Don't think I don't know what it is you intend on carrying out."

"'Course I know ya do," he confirmed. "but I don't expect ya ta come chargin' in wit us, sword 'n 'and. Ya ain't a believer, afta-all. None-a ya are."

Calvin then crossed his arms. "So, I don't wanna drag y'all inta the fire," he said in a simple manner, his left hand creeping up to the back of his head. He began rubbing it, brushing his hair up and down. "Anyhow, this ain't gettin' stuff done. Guess I'll just grab some food an' waterskins, then?"
The end

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08-Oct-2014 23:58:47

Jul

2020

Serene End

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"I suppose so," the genius casually brushed off, turning his eyes away. Calvin sighed, scratching the left side of his head, knowing that he did not get the type of response he wanted. Though, when he revisited the thought, he knew he shouldn't have expected anything less. Regardless, he decided to leave them, give them some time to regather themselves.

Just as Calvin did, Telvern desired to head into the house to grab supplies. The genius walked over to a bare wall of a building, carrying Raphael with him. Very slowly, Telvern knelt down in front of that wall and took Raphael off of him. He laid Raphael against the wall, his back against the wall.

Raphael was hunched over, his right knee bent upwards and his left leg was laid out. His arms dangled lifeless at his sides, his head hanging but not high. His vacant purple eyes, devoid of all feelings, blankly stared down at the ground, the shimmering sand that blew with the wind. Telvern sat there on his knees, waiting for Raphael to say or do something, anything at all.

But there was no sign of life, silent and barely breathing. Telvern closed his eyes, his lungs pushing out a lamentful pocket of air. "If only it didn't have to come to this..." Telvern quietly mumbled, standing up to his feet.

The genius turned his cheek the other way once more, facing away from Raphael. He took one step, his crimson stained shoes digging into the sand. But his ears heard a whimper, very slyly stealing his attention. "...Then why?" very softly did a voice ask, a voice from a broken young man behind the genius. Telvern ceased all motion, he didn't even so much as look at Raphael. "...Why did you?"
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09-Oct-2014 00:01:49

Jul

2020

Serene End

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Telvern's steely gaze was revealed, boldly looking forward. All Raphael received was the genius' back, seeing it occasionally obscured by people passing by. It was something that always seemed to be, Telvern never truly showing him his face, his true face. The young man could only buy his words, the words meant only to deceive, to manipulate.

Daevarro watched on under a shroud of quiet, wanting to put his coin on the subject. But alas, he knew that it wasn't his to claim. Shinon turned away, cross-armed and impatient. Calvin then came out from the house, interrupting Telvern's quest to find his words, to find some ground. He came out from the house, bearing a large sack of goods. "'Ello," he greeted casually, his gaze to the genius. "Sorry if I'm buttin' in, but we need ta get on goin'."

He began passing waterskins around, at least three per persons. Telvern turned around, facing Raphael once more. Retracing his steps, the genius knelt down beside Raphael, who just kept looking down at the ground. No, the young leader couldn't look at the man who helped orchestrate the downfall of the Resistance, of the murder of all that he held so dear.

It infuriated Raphael to see Telvern standing there in front of him, to be at his side, causing the young man clench his hands with ire. But... somehow, Telvern brought him back to this world. He defied the laws of this world, a man cannot simply have two chances at life. And he chose Raphael, of all people, for this opportunity. The question toyed around with Raphael's head, drove him to the throes of insanity.

...Why? Why him above someone else? What made him so special? Why did he have to be the one to cheat death?
The end

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09-Oct-2014 00:02:58

Jul

2020

Serene End

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Just as he did before, Telvern threw Raphael's right arm around his neck. He placed his left arm around the silver-haired young man's back, carrying the burden of his mistake once more. The genius remained quiet, not giving Raphael any form of answer. Perhaps he searched his whole heart, perhaps he couldn't because he no longer had one. Or maybe just simply, he didn't have an answer to give.

Telvern began walking forward, digging his feet into the fresh sand. A tall, colorful celestial body pulled over their heads, the warming touch of the sun unable to defrost the cold world the group ventured into. The desert heat, the rippled horizon like a painting smeared by a finger, like an invisible worm squirming around on top of the earthly borderline.

But nothing could shatter the ice that encased all who witnessed something that simply should not be, the images of the endless amount of unspeakable atrocities committed upon that night were burned into their minds. A cold, soulless, black dagger carving the cataclysm deeply into their corneas, their eyes afflicted with blindness, unable to see anything but those memories.

The area once called the Shantay Pass laid before them, in the center was a crudely built house, its boards uneven and its nails bent or sticking out to catch anyone off-guard. Its inside held empty shelves and its wood-board floor was a carpet of sand that had blown in. There was a prison nearby that was in use during the primal years of the humans, but that had all but disappeared, leaving behind only its foundation.

Around them were tall, rocky walls of earth at the left and right of the area. There was only two ways to leave this small encampment, and that was to the south and the way they just came. Their very eyes stared upon the beige gateway, three pillars of stone-brink about ten feet in height, the right-most pillar and the center pillar had a long, wide board of wood on top of them.
The end

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09-Oct-2014 00:03:29

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